Our pastry chef Swann Clarck offers us a seasonal dessert that is simple, generous, and gluten-free: Bourdaloue pear tart.

"It's a classic that I can never get tired of. Sometimes I like to replace the almonds with pecans or hazelnuts. Recently, I infused the pears in a shiso syrup. The herbaceous flavors go beautifully with the pear."

INGREDIENTS

For the Bourdaloue:

• 250 g softened butter

• 250 g light brown sugar

• 250 g ground almonds

• 250 g eggs

• 3 large ripe pears

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 110 g butter

• 100 g rice flour

• 60 g eggs

• 55 g cornstarch

• 50 g ground white almonds

• 6 g guar gum

PREPARATION

This recipe takes a little time, especially for poaching the pears. If you're short on time, opt for high-quality pears in syrup.

Step 1, the shortcrust pastry: mix all the ingredients, adding the eggs last. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2, poaching the pears: prepare a syrup with 1 liter of water and 20% sugar. You can add shiso leaves or a spice such as cinnamon, as I do. Peel your pears, bring the water to a boil, and poach your pears for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on their ripeness. They should remain firm, just melting, to keep their texture after baking the tart.

Step 3, the bourdaloue cream: cream the softened butter with the sugar and ground almonds until you have a smooth cream. Add the eggs one at a time. Set aside in a cool place to allow the cream to firm up slightly.

Step 4, assembly: roll out the shortcrust pastry and line a tart ring or tin. Blind bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Spread the almond cream over the pre-baked base. Arrange the poached pears on top, rounded side up.

Step 5, baking: bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 180°C, until the almond cream is golden brown and slightly puffed. Allow to cool before removing from the mold.

The result: a delicate, crispy pastry, a generous, fragrant almond cream, and pears that melt in the mouth, lightly spiced with shiso or cinnamon. A dessert that embodies the sweetness of autumn and the refinement of the garden.