Curd Tart with Pears

DOUGH INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Mix all the ingredients to a crumbly consistency. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water and quickly knead into a compact dough (it may still be a bit crumbly). Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.
• 2
  Prepare a round cake tin with a removable bottom (diameter 26 cm). Grease the side part with butter. Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of about 3 mm (it should cover the bottom and sides). Remove the top baking paper and use the separated cake bottom to cut a circle from the dough. Remove the scraps and leave the circular dough on the bottom baking paper. Close the bottom with the dough using the side part of the round form and let the paper overhang (you can trim the overhanging edges if you wish). Roll out a strip from the remaining dough of the same thickness as the bottom and cut strips for the edge (about 3 – 4 cm).
• 3
  Prick the dough on the bottom with a fork and place it in the fridge for a while. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 185 degrees °C for top and bottom heating.

FILLING INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks. Beat the yolks with the curd, sugar, pudding powder, and cream. Fold in the egg whites with a spatula.
• 2
  Peel the pears, halve them, remove the core, and slice them lengthwise. Mix them (gradually as you slice) with lemon juice.

TART ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Pour the curd mixture into the prepared tart form and arrange the pear slices on the surface (partially submerge the bottom edge of the pear slice into the curd) so that you always place one half of the same pear from the edge of the form to the center.
• 2
  Bake the tart for about 75 – 80 minutes on the lower rack of the oven. Check the surface after about 50 minutes to an hour. If it browns too much, cover with aluminum foil. For the final phase, you can switch the oven to bottom baking (depending on how your oven bakes).
• 3
  After baking, the curd mixture will still be slightly wobbly and nicely puffed. After cooling (let it cool in the form on a rack), it will slightly deflate. This is completely normal.