Description

Flaky pastry surrounds melty Caraway Havarti topped with pears and a touch of honey. A little bit sweet, a little bit savory and a whole lot delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

FOR THE CRUST

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons very cold butter
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (I prefer non hydrogenated)
5 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE TART

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
6 ounces Castello Caraway Havarti, grated
2 ripe but firm pears (I used bartlett), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1 egg plus 2 teaspoons water, beaten

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Instructions

Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter and shortening until the pieces become the size of peas. Add in 6 tablespoons of water and mix gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the dough just starts to come together. Add more water one tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should not be sticky, and you should be able to see the pieces of butter and shortening flecked throughout. Be careful not to over knead it.
Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at last 30 minutes (or up to two days).
To assemble the tart: roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the dijon mustard in a thin even layer on the dough, leaving a 1-2 inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the grated Castello Caraway Havarti over the mustard, then arrange the pears in a singular layer over top. Drizzle the honey evenly around the pears, then sprinkle the thyme and sea salt on top.
Gather the sides up around the tart to enclose the filling. Brush the exposed dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the edges with a little more sea salt if desired. Place the whole pan with the tart in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the oven has preheated, take the tart straight from the freezer and place it into the oven. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the edges have become golden brown and the pears are tender. Allow to cool slightly, slice and serve warm.

Notes

To achieve a tender, flaky pie crust, the dough needs to stay cold at all times. Be sure to start with chilled ingredients and place the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes if it’s starting to get too warm. Placing the prepared tart in the freezer for a few minutes before baking ensures that the crust will be super flaky.

Category: Appetizer, Baking