PEAR & ALMOND TART WITH ALMOND PATE SUCREE

Steps:

• Prepare crust: Finely grind the almonds by processing about 45 seconds in the work bowl of a food processor fit with the chopping blade. Add the other dry ingredients and process 30 seconds With machine running on dough speed, add yolks one at a time and process until incorporated. Stop machine & add the ice water, zest and vanilla. Pulse 3 to 4 times until combined. Form dough into 2 flat disks. Wrap in plastic & chill at least 30 minutes or until ready to use. If the dough tears as you roll it, just pat it into place in the tart pan. You can freeze the 2nd disk for later use. Before proceeding with the filling, spray the bottom and sides of an 11 inch tart pan with Pam and fit the crust into the pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling. To make filling & assemble tart: Position rack in lower third of the oven & preheat to 375. Blend almond paste and sugar in processor until well combined. Add 1/4 C flour and the 3 T butter (room temp). Process until you have a thick paste. Add eggs & vanilla and and process until smooth. Spread filling into prepared crust. Cover and chill while preparing pears. Peel pears. Cut each in half lenthwise and core. Slice crosswise and place slices longwise with ends touching around outer edge of pan forming a large circle along the circumfrance of the pan. Continue with another circle inside the first making sure slices are close together, even slightly overlapping. You can arrange the slices any way you see fit as long as the filling is mostly covered and you have a good amount of pear slices on top. It's OK to have a few small gaps. Melt 1 T butter and brush over pears. Bake tart until pears are tender and crust is brown, about 50 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm or at room temp. Tart can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let it stand at room temp before serving. Top with whipped cream (or ginger whipped cream) if desired. Great with coffee.