Pear Tarte Tatin

Okay, so when I post I've noticed I like to do desserts; probably because I try new desserts whenever I find one that is interesting! This dessert is one of my favorite of all time that I have found. My pictures didn't turn out so I just stole the one from the website where I got the recipe, http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/pear-tarte-tatin-recipe.

Pastry

1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) cold butter (no substitutions), cut up

2 tablespoon(s) trans-fat free vegetable shortening

1 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel

2 tablespoon(s) (up to 4 tablespoons) ice water

Filling

1 cup(s) sugar

6 tablespoon(s) butter (no substitutions)

1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice

3 3/4 pound(s) firm-ripe Bosc and Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and each cut lengthwise in half

Directions

Prepare pastry: In food processor, with knife blade attached, blend flour and salt. Add butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pulse in lemon peel. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until large, moist crumbs just begin to form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, 1 hour or up to overnight. (If refrigerated overnight, let dough stand at room temperature 30 minutes before rolling.)

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to prepared cookie sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare filling: In heavy 12-inch skillet with oven-safe handle (or with handle wrapped in double thickness of foil), heat sugar, butter, and lemon juice on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and mixture begins to boil.

Add pears to skillet, rounded side down. Cook 5 minutes. Turn rounded side up and cook 5 minutes longer. Turn pears over so rounded side is down and cook 5 minutes longer, or until syrup is caramelized and thickened. (Reduce heat slightly if syrup browns too quickly before thickening.)

Remove skillet from heat. Carefully invert dough (still on waxed paper) onto pears in skillet; remove and discard paper. Fold edge of dough under to fit dough into skillet and form rim around edge. Cut six 1/4-inch-long slits in dough to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes.

Tips: I didn't have a food processor, so I made the pastry by hand. If you have a pastry blender is works really well, otherwise use two knives. It will take longer with the pastry blender and the knives, but works really well.

From the kitchen of Megan.