普羅旺斯的天空下 Living in Provence

還記得幾年前做過一個驚艷的慢烤洋梨蛋糕, 其中一位朋友對我說那塊洋梨蛋糕是他在那一年中品嘗過最好吃的蛋糕。原食譜來自於我曾經收藏過百本的美食雜誌中, 但它們早已不在我身邊了...唯一有的記憶是此慢烤洋梨蛋糕出於一位於澳洲新威爾斯省藍山的Cafe, 此Cafe的主人是一對原本居住在雪梨市中心的伴侶, 因想搬離市區, 便於藍山落腳開始經營自己的Cafe。此食譜最吸引我的便是將西洋梨與白酒、黃檸檬汁與糖以低溫慢慢烘烤3小時左右, 而蛋糕本身因加入杏仁與榛果粉具有濃厚的堅果味。烘烤過的西洋梨與汁液, 特別是汁液真的是人間美味!

想想雖然原食譜不在了, 但我還是想利用那些美美的秋梨為短暫的秋季留下一筆, 於是便決定以典型的 frangipane 杏仁餡搭上優雅的慢烤洋梨來取代典型的洋梨塔。

此甜點雖有點費功, 但一切都是值得的!

小訣竅:  我通常會在前一晚開始慢烤西洋梨, 然後將西洋梨於汁液中浸泡一晚

慢烤西洋梨：

4-6  顆 未熟(非常硬)西洋梨, 約 1 公斤
100 公克 粗糖
1 顆 黃檸檬汁
45 ml 白酒 (我使用法國白Sancerre*)
*  請選擇你會願意喝的Sauvignon blanc 等級白酒, Sauvignon blanc 的白花香與果香與洋梨是個優雅的搭配

烤箱預熱至 150C
1.  將西洋梨去皮對切
2.  切面朝下, 放入一烤皿, 灑上粗糖, 倒入白酒與黃檸檬汁

3.  以鋁薄紙覆蓋烤約3小時至軟 (非爛)

4.  取出放涼

5.  小心的將梨子取出 (保持梨型), 使用一小湯匙輕輕挖去核, 以刀去蒂; 保留汁液
(此汁液可以淋於香草冰淇淋上、拌入原味優格或於慢烤洋梨杏仁塔的中心淋上一小匙...人間美味! )

甜塔皮的食譜出於 Gordon Ramsay's "A chef for all seasons."
*  除了添加香草籽, 我額外加了一顆黃檸檬的皮於塔皮麵團
*  儘可能將塔皮麵團桿至約 1mm 的厚度
*  烤塔皮時 (2 階段以170C烤), 請注意勿過度上色 (可參考鮭魚法式鹹派中的塔皮準備)
請參考有機檸檬香橙塔一文圖解

frangipane 杏仁餡:

烤箱預熱至 180C
可做5個 (11公分 塔模)

100 公克 無鹽奶油, 室溫放置稍軟
100 公克 特細砂糖
100 公克 100克 杏仁粉*(ground almonds or almond meal)
 1 大匙 (約15公克) 有機中筋麵粉
2 顆 有機蛋
1 顆 烤西洋梨, 切小丁
其餘的烤西洋梨切薄片 (儘可能保持梨型)
1 大匙  Calvados蘋果白蘭地 (或任一白蘭地)
糖粉, 最後裝飾用

*杏仁粉 - ground almonds or almond meal 指的是去皮杏仁或帶皮杏仁打成粉狀 (台灣一般所喝的杏仁奶的杏仁是將杏桃 apricot 子的內部 (成白色) 磨成粉), 蛋糕甜點中一般會使用的是ground almonds or almond meal。

1.  將奶油與砂糖打發(意旨: 將空氣打入), 至淡乳黃狀

2. 先加入1顆蛋, 待攪拌均勻後再加入另1顆蛋

3.  拌入杏仁粉, 混合均勻

4.  將麵粉篩入碗中, 混合均勻

5.  加入蘋果白蘭地, 混合均勻

6.  拌入洋梨丁

7.  使用一湯匙將餡料填入塔殼中, 於餡料上輕壓上切成薄片的洋梨

8.  進烤箱烤25-30分鐘, 至以手指輕壓杏仁餡時帶彈性 (回彈)

9.  放至微溫, 灑上糖粉即可享用 (我還搭配淋有烤洋梨汁的香草冰淇淋享用)

English Version:

Slow roasted pears and frangipane tart

I remember making a gorgeous pear cake a few years ago.  My friend told me it was the best pear cake he had in that year.  It was a recipe from one of my magazines collection...and unfortunately, I don't have them with me here in France nor did I recall the name of this cafe in Blue Mountains, NSW Australia.  I just remember a couple from Sydney wanted to move away from the city and ended up in Blue Mountains with their cafe.  What attracted me in this recipe is slow roasting pears in white wine and lemon juice for 3 hours or so.  And the mixture of the cake is nutty as it is made up with both ground almonds and hazelnuts.  The slow roasted pears and the juice was sublime, especially the roasting juice!  

Since I can't get the original recipe and I want to use some of these beautiful pears to mark the season.  I've come up with a classic frangipane tart but with a very classy twist!

This dessert may be a bit labour intense, but believe me that your efforts will be well paid.  

A little tip:  I normally start roasting the pears the night before.  And leave them to sit in the juice overnight.  

For the roast pears:
4-6 very firm pears (about 1kg)
100g granulated sugar
juice of 1 organic lemon
45 ml white wine (I used Sancerre white*)
*  Please use a Sauvignon blanc that you would normally drink as the aroma of white flowers and fruitiness add an elegant touch to the slow roasted pears.

Preheat the oven to 150C
1.  Peel and halve the pears.
2.  Place pears, cut side down in a baking dish and sprinkle over sugar.  Pour over the lemon juice and white wine.
3.  Cover with foil and bake for 3 hours or until tender.
4.  Leave it to cool.  
5. Drain pears and remove cores and stem.  Keep the roasting juice.  The roasting juice is great with vanilla ice cream or drizzle over some plain yogurt!

Rich sweet pastry:

From Gordon Ramsay's  "A chef for all seasons".
* I also added 1 lemon zest to the pastry.
* Avoid over baking the tart shells (no need over colouring).

Please refer to my article, "Citrus tart" for photos.


Preheat the oven to 180C
Filling:
Makes 5 (11 cm tartlet tin)

100g unsalted butter, softened
100g fine caster sugar
100g ground almonds
1 tablespoon organic plain flour
2 organic eggs
1 roasted pear, finely diced
Thinly slice the rest of roasted pears
1 tablespoon Calvados
Some icing sugar for dusting

1.  Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth.
2.  Add the eggs,  one at a time and mix well after each addition.
3.  Stir in the almonds and mix to incorporate.
4.  Sift in the flour and mix to incorporate.
5.  Add the Calvados and mix well.
6.  Stir in the diced pears and mix well.
7.  Spoon into the pastry cases and press gently the sliced pears on the surface.
8.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is firm and springs back when pressed.
9.  Serve warm and dust with icing sugar.