PEAR AND ALMOND CREAM TART

Serves 6

pâte brisée:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, beaten for glazing the baked crust
3 pears, fresh poached in sugar, water, and vanilla or or 6 canned pear halves

Almond pastry cream:
1cup milk
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1 tablespoon kirsch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Apricot glaze:
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon Kirsch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, egg, water, sugar, vanilla and butter. Process until dough forms a bowl. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/8-inch thick to fit an 8 inch fluted removable-bottomed tart pan.
Cover with parchment paper, fill the center with weights, and bake until the edges start to brown. Remove weights and paper. Brush bottom and sides with egg glaze.
Arrange pears over bottom of pie crust.

Almond pastry cream:
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Whip egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix in cornstarch. Stir in the hot milk. Pour in a saucepan, and whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the almond, kirsch and butter. Spoon mixture over pears and bake for 15 minutes. Cool on rack.
For glaze:
In a small saucepan, melt the apricot jam over low heat. Stir in the kirsch. Strain through a fine strainer and spoon over pie to glaze.