Spanish chef Jose Pizarro has shared a recipe for a poached pear and almond tart with PX caramel, a dessert that brings together red vermut and pedro ximénez to evoke the Spanish table in pudding form.
Vermut and PX in one dish
In Spain, vermut is traditionally enjoyed as an aperitif, while pedro ximénez is often poured at the end of a meal, alongside dessert or cheese. In this tart, they come together: vermut, infused with herbs and spices, gently perfumes the pears, while PX, with its rich raisin, fig and caramel notes, introduces an irresistible flavour.
The recipe serves 10-12 and takes 15 minutes to prepare, 1 hour 50 minutes to cook, plus at least 30 minutes chilling.
Ingredients and method
For the pears, you need a 750ml bottle of red vermut (Lustau Vermut Rojo is suggested, but any vermut rojo or standard red vermouth works), 3 tbsp runny honey, 1 vanilla pod (split and seeds scraped out), pared zest of 1 orange, and 4 just-ripe medium-sized dessert pears (such as williams or comice), peeled. Cream or creme fraiche is suggested for serving.
For the pastry: 225g plain flour (plus extra for dusting), 110g cold unsalted butter, 50g caster sugar, and 2 egg yolks. For the filling: 100ml pedro ximénez, 2 tbsp caramel sauce (or dulce de leche), 1 pinch flaky sea salt, 125g unsalted butter (softened), 125g caster sugar (plus 2 tbsp extra for the glaze), 2 medium eggs, 125g ground almonds, and 1 tbsp plain flour.
Cooking steps
Put the vermut, honey, vanilla pod and seeds, orange zest and 300ml water in a pan just big enough to hold the pears snugly. Bring to a simmer, add the pears and poach gently for 20-25 minutes, until glassy-looking and just tender to the tip of a knife. Take off the heat and leave the pears to cool in the liquid.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and sugar until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and pulse again briefly to make a dough; if need be, add up to two teaspoons of water to help bring it together. Tip out on to a lightly floured surface, quickly shape into a ball, then press down into a flat disc. Wrap in baking paper and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, then use it to line a greased deep, fluted 23cm tart tin; the pastry will be very soft, so if it breaks, just press it back together with your fingertips. Return to the fridge to chill again.
Baking and finishing
In a small pan, bring the PX to a simmer, then reduce until there's only about two tablespoons of sticky liquid left. Tip into a bowl, blend with the caramel sauce and a pinch of salt, then spread the PX mix all over the base of the tart case, and chill again.
Heat the oven and a baking sheet to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5. Lift the cooled pears out of the poaching liquid, pat dry, then cut in half lengthways and scoop out the cores. Turn each pear half on to its flat side, then cut a few times across its width without slicing all the way through. Press down gently to fan out the slices, then pat dry again.
Whisk the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy, then work in the eggs, almonds and flour. Spread this evenly over the caramel layer in the tart case, then neatly top with the pear halves pointy ends in, and gently press them into the almond layer. Bake for 45 minutes on the heated tray, then cover with foil so the pastry doesn't brown too much and bake for 15 minutes more, until set all the way through.
Meanwhile, put 300ml of the pear poaching liquid in a pan, add two tablespoons of sugar, bring slowly to a boil, then reduce to a glossy, sticky glaze. Leave the tart to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from its tin and put on a rack. Once it's just warm, brush the vermut glaze over the top and serve with cream or creme fraiche.
