Brown Butter Hazelnut Pear Tart with Tarragon

Although I’m a fan of Thanksgiving classics just as much as the next guy, I’ll admit that the same old main course and side dishes can begin to feel (and taste) a bit mundane over the years. For me, this is especially true when it comes to dessert. The usual suspects, pumpkin pie and pecan pie, have always seemed a bit plain, mushy, sickly sweet, or all of the above. Luckily, I was tasked with bringing dessert to Friendsgiving this year, so it was the perfect opportunity to knock their feathers off with a not-so-traditional dessert that is still right at home alongside a crowded table of familiar favorites.

When thinking of Thanksgiving flavors, the theme tends to be a balance of sweet and savory, rich and creamy, and always with a heavy-handed sprinkle of warm spices and earthy herbs. Hearty stuffing filled with sage, thyme, and rosemary; velvety mashed potatoes packed with garlic and chives; spiced apple cider steeped with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove—to name just a drool-educing few. With these complementary flavor medleys in mind, a richly decadent dessert was brought to life that—not to sing my own praises—captures the essence of Thanksgiving in a brand new, yet oddly familiar way.

Now, the name of this tart may sound like an eye-roll worthy drink order from the infamous coffee chain that need not be named, but trust me when I say it tastes a whole lot better than a $7 latte any day! This brown butter hazelnut pear tart with tarragon needs no further explanation on what this dessert entails, but allow me to do so anyway! Featuring a melt-worthy brown butter hazelnut crust, a spiced tarragon-infused hazelnut frangipane, and topped with a spiraled layer of pear slices, this tart is as mesmerizing as it is mouthwatering. Such rich decadence deserves to be served on special occasions surrounded by loved ones, making this tart the ideal addition to your Thanksgiving feast.

Brown Butter Hazelnut Crust Recipe

Makes one crust.

Supplies

• Food processor
• 12-inch diameter tart pan

 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick)
• 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts, very finely ground *See Pro Tips
• 3 Tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp. organic hazelnut flavor extract 
• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, room temperature

Directions

1. Add stick of butter to a light-colored pan (this helps control browning and prevents burning).
2. Whisking constantly, melt butter over medium-low heat. After about 3–5 minutes, you’ll notice the milk solids begin separating from the butter fat.
3. Continue whisking constantly for about 2–4 more minutes until milk solids turn a rich, golden brown color. This will happen rapidly, so make sure you do not step away or stop whisking!
4. Remove from heat and pour browned butter in heat-safe container. Allow to cool for about 10–15 minutes before covering and transferring to the fridge for at least 2–3 hours to resolidify.
5. Once brown butter is solid, remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature for about 1 hour.
6. Now to make the crust! Preheat oven to 350° F.
7. To a food processor, combine finely ground hazelnuts, brown sugar, hazelnut extract, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
8. Add room-temperature brown butter to food processor and mix on dough setting until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
9. Sift in flour and pulse until combined.
10. Lastly, crack in egg and pulse until dough comes together. If the dough is too wet, add 1 Tbsp. of flour at a time until everything comes together to a wet, sticky dough.
11. Plop dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a spatula to shape a dough ball and smoosh to form a flat disk. The dough will feel too soft at first, but it will significantly firm up once the dough is chilled.
12. Wrap dough by folding in loose ends of parchment paper (plastic wrap works too). Set in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
13. Once chilled, transfer dough to a fresh piece of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour and place another piece of parchment on top. This prevents the dough from sticking to your work surface.
14. Use a rolling pin—or whatever long, sphere-shaped object you can find—roll dough out until about 1/4 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
15. Carefully remove the top layer of parchment and transfer dough to prepared tart pan by quickly flipping upside-down.
16. Use your fingers or a rubber spatula to smoosh dough uniformly into tart pan.
17. Bake for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden brown and your home smells like a delicious hazelnut heaven!
18. Set aside and allow to fully cool while you prepare the filling.
    
    

Hazelnut Frangipane Pear Filling with Tarragon

Makes enough for one pie.

Ingredients

• 1 cup roasted hazelnuts, very finely ground *See Pro Tips
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. organic hazelnut flavor extract
• 2 tsp. organic dried tarragon
• 1/2 tsp. organic sweet cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp. organic ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. organic ground cloves
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3–4 organic pears of choice *See Pro Tips
• Fresh tarragon sprigs, optional garnish

Directions

1. To your cleaned food processor, combine ground hazelnuts, sugar, flour, hazelnut extract, tarragon, spices, and eggs. Pulse until combined.
2. Add chunks of room temp butter to mixture and pulse again until a thick paste is achieved, scraping down sides as needed.
3. Now to put it all together! Preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Add pie filling to chilled crust and carefully spread out into an even layer. Set aside while you prep the pears.
5. Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice quartered pears with skin-on.
6. Beginning from the outer edge working your way in, layer pear slices in a fanned shaped, similar to how you hold playing cards. Switching directions with each layer, keep adding pear slices until reaching the center.
7. Transfer to oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool before garnishing and serving. Enjoy!

Pro Tips

• Store bought ground hazelnuts and hazelnut “flour” do exist, but often come with a hefty price tag. Luckily, it’s super easy to make your own with a food processor. Simply pulse roasted hazelnuts until a finely ground texture is achieved (similar to almond flour).
• I used Red Anjou pears for this recipe, but any pear will work! I found red pears to have the most eye-appealing result.

Looking for more herb-Inspired holiday desserts? 

Check Out Our Olive Oil & Orange Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Recipe!

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