Daring Bakers November 10: Pistachio Pear Crostada/Galette

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

This post is a bit late, but better late than never!  I completed the challenge on time, but then got sick in the middle of Thanksgiving break, and so my pictures and this post suffered a bit.  My apologies!

Mom holding one of my new business cards with dessert at L.I.M.E

For this challenge, I "recycled" one of the desserts I created for L.I.M.E. earlier this month: a Pistachio Frangipan tart/crostada/galette with spiced red wine poached pears & pate sucree crust.  When I plated it for L.I.M.E., I also included poaching liquid reduction, vanilla bean ice cream, pistachio lace tuile & pistachio garnish.

unbaked crostada/galette 

I have always been taught that a "crostada" or "galette" is a freeform tart, made without a tart pan.  While I used a tart pan for L.I.M.E., I decided to make free form-style tarts with dough left over from the event.   The small ones were happily consumed before the photoshoot, but  I did get a shot before they were eaten.  

I went a bit too "frangipan happy" and overfilled the crust, though they did taste delicious anyway. If you've never had frangipan before, you're missing out!  Usually, it's made with almonds (ground, paste, flour etc), but I have a particular fondness for pistachios and so I ground some of the raw pistachios I bought in France for the filling instead.  

My pistachios had a wonderfully brilliant green color that contrasted beautifully with the red wine poached pears.  I like to leave the pears in the poaching liquid at least 48 hrs before slicing so the pears retain a beautiful red color. 

I hope this challenge inspires you to make a free-form tart sometime this holiday season!  

THE RECIPES

Note: these are the recipes I used for L.I.M.E. and so the amounts may be a bit high....  

SHORT CRUST DOUGH WITH ALMONDS

Ingredients

250 g Flour

150 g Butter

173 g Icing Sugar

32 g Almond Flour

pinch  Fine Salt

55 g Eggs

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the butter and flour until you get a sandy mass.  Add the other ingredients and knead only until incorporated.  

Wrap and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using.  

RED WINE POACHED PEARS

3 pears, peeled just before use.  

3c red wine

1.5c granulated sugar

peel of 1/2 orange

juice of 1 lemon

1 cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

boil 5 minutes, simmer 20 minutes or until pears are tender.  Cool on ice bath.  Chill pears in poaching liquid at least 48 hours before use.

PISTACHIO FRANGIPAN

adapted from Cannelle et Vanille 

100 grams organic unsalted butter, softened

100 grams sugar

1 organic egg

30 grams unbleached all purpose flour

100 grams raw pistachios, ground to a fine meal

1 tsp Almond Extract

Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg. Scrape and mix well. Add the flour and the ground pistachios and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place the frangipane in a pastry bag and pipe onto the rolled out crust.