Tasting Journal's Recipes: Pear and Walnut Tarte Tatin

Adapted from Jim’s Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup walnuts
4 pounds firm-ripe pears (preferably Bosc, about 8)
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pastry dough

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coarsely chop walnuts, and in a shallow baking pan, toast in the middle of the oven until it is shade darker, about 4 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Peel, quarter, and core pears.

2. In a deep 12-inch heavy skillet, caramelize the sugar, stirring occasionally until it turns to a medium brown. Add butter and stir. Add pears and cook over medium heat.

3. Turning the pears occasionally (be careful not to break them), gently stir in the syrup until pears are glazed and syrup begins to thicken, about 20 minutes.

4. Stir in rum and lemon juice and simmer, turning the pears and gently stirring frequently, until most of the syrup is evaporated and pears are tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

5. Remove from heat.

6. On a lightly floured surfaced with a floured rolling pin; roll out dough into a 12-inch round (a scant ¼ inch thick) and drape over pears in the skillet. Tuck edge between pears and rim of pan. With a knife, cut several steam vents in the pastry.

7. Bake tart in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

8. Have a rimmed serving plate that’s slightly larger than the tart ready. Once the tart is removed from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes.

9. Invert serving plate over pie and, wearing oven mitts and keeping plates firmly pressed together, invert tart onto serving plate.

10. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8