Pear Tarte Tatin

This twist on the classic apple tarte tatin accentuates the pear's natural syrup by enveloping it in rich caramel. Frozen puff pastry means you can devote all of your concentration to getting the caramelized pears just right. Serve warm, or let sit for a few hours so the flavors can find their way into the pastry.

Serves 8

Ingredients

4 (2 1/2 pounds) Bosc pears, peeled, halved and cored
1 Cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 Tablespoons light corn or brown rice syrup
1 sheet puff pastry

1. Set oven to 375-degrees. Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom of heavy 9-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides. Scatter butter cubes over sugar, then drizzle with corn rice syrup. Arrange pear halves in the sugar in an attractive circle, round bottoms at the edge, pointed tips at the center, and the hollow core side up with the rounded bottoms down on the sugar. Place pan in oven and bake for about 2 hours and 45 minutes, until they become candied orbs. Don't turn them or touch them, just leave them in the oven.

2. Cut a 9-inch circle from the puff pastry and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the same oven (at 375-degrees) for about 15 minutes, until the pastry disk is golden brown and puffed up like a pillow. Remove and let cool.

3. When the pears are cooked, the sugar has started to become caramel, and the juices from the pears have become part of the sugary caramel, remove the pan from the oven and place directly onto the stovetop burner. If the pears have lost too much liquid, pour a little warm liquid (apple cider or pear juice, if you have them, or just water) to help the caramel along. Over low heat, cook the syrup just a few minutes until big soapy bubbles form and the syrup becomes a true amber caramel. Remove from heat immediately.

4. Place the puff pastry pillow directly on top of the pears, domed-side down. It should fit snugly within the diameter of the cake pan. Place a clean sheet pan lined with parchement over the tatin and very carefully - but swiftly! - invert. Tap the pan to be sure all of the pears have dropped down, then carefully remove the cake pan.


Based on a recipe from Prune, by Gabrielle Hamilton.

Vanilla Pear Jam

adapted from Perfect Preserves by Nora Carey
makes 1½ quarts

This jam is sweetened by the natural sugars in the pears, and fruit juice. No additional sugar is required. It is perfect over pancakes, French toast, or waffles, or use it to top ice cream or pound cake. Served with a biscuit and whipped cream, it makes a fun fall shortcake.

Ingredients
5 pounds pears
grated zest of 1 lemon plus 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 quarts unsweetened apple, pear or white grape juice 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Steps

1. Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Chop the pears into small cubes and toss them in a bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Set aside.
2. In a preserving pan, combine the fruit juice of your choice with the vanilla bean. Reduce the liquid by half over moderate heat. Remove the vanilla bean from the reduced juice.
3. Add the pears and their liquid to the juice and bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat. Cook the jam, stirring frequently, for 30-40 minutes, or until the jellying point is reached.
4. Spoon the jam into warm sterilized jars and seal. Process jars of jam in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let cool. Check the seals and store up to 1 year.

From the recipe collection of
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Apple Crisp

Ingredients
Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg     
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Fruit:
3 lbs apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 2 quart baking dish.
2. Toss together apples, lemon juice and cinnamon. Place fruit mix in baking dish.
3. Mix together the dry topping ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter pieces and work in with your fingers or a pastry blender. Mix until the topping has a crumbly texture. Distribute topping evenly on fruit.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the topping is brown and fruit is bubbling.  

 Variation: Substitute pears for apples. Pears cook more quickly so check for doneness at 45 minutes.