PEAR & ALMOND TART

I was not planning on featuring this Pear & Almond Tart in today's post.  I made a fabulous yeast bread last week, and that was the recipe I was going to share today.  But I had several small Seckel pears and I thought this tart would be a great follow-up to the lemon roast chicken I made last night.  I found the recipe for this tart the other day while perusing foreign magazines at the bookstore down the street (one of my favorite pastimes and something I don't do often enough).  Pears and almonds are a great combination and this is a great dessert.  Before eating I sprinkled the tart with a little powdered sugar and served creme frâiche alongside each slice. 

                                           PEAR & ALMOND TART

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• 2 Seckel pears, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1/2 cup additional brown sugar
• raw sugar for sprinkling
• creme frâiche, to serve

   Preheat over to 350˚ F.  Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until just combine.  Add the eggs, almond meal, flour, baking powder, grated lemon peel and process until just combined.  Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9.5 cm x 33 cm loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin.  Place pears and additional 1/2 cup brown sugar in a bowl and toss to coat.  Press the pears into the tart mixture and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.  Sprinkle with raw sugar and allow to cool in tin.