And Now the Rest of the Story...

When we left our story, the three sisters had prepared some tasty pork and Bowl of Comfort for dinner before the premier of "Once Upon a Time." There was also a fantastic musical performance by Kelly as she created the night's dessert! And what was for dessert? Why a gluten free pear tart!

 

My sister Kelly, has Celiac disease, which is a condition that prevents the body from properly breaking down the gluten in foods. Gluten is in most breads, pastas, pastries and even in a lot of your favorite seasonings. As such, we have to sometimes be a bit careful with what serve at family dinners, as the gluten creates an almost allergic reaction that makes my sister very ill and could lead to more troubling complications if its a large quantity. A friend of mine, Gene, from Circle has a pear tree and had given me a box of about sixteen pounds of the tasty fruit, and when I told Kelly this, she wanted to make dessert in the form of a tart that we all could enjoy!

 

For Kelly's Fabulous Gluten Free Pear Tart:

 

Gluten Free Graham Crackers

Whole Almonds

Cinnamon

Honey

Butter

Four-six good sized pears, peeled and sliced

Raw sugar

Apricot preserves



 

 

 

 

 

First you'll want to peel and slice the pears. You can set the slices in a bowl of water to keep them from browning so your tart looks pretty.

Spray a tart pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

(I really think Kelly could be a hand model)

Break up the graham crackers into a food processor work bowl.

Add the almonds and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Its okay if you have a few big nut pieces.

Add some cinnamon for a dash of flavor.

Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and add one stick of melted butter, a drizzle of vanilla, and some honey for sweetness and to help keep the mix together. Stir until the crumbs are moistened.

Flatten the mixture into the tart pan, making sure to push it up the sides too, pressing gently. Look at that lovely manicure. She could give Vanna White a run for her money!

Bake the tart crust in the oven for about five to ten minutes, just to let it set up a bit.

 

Meanwhile, empty the preserves into a microwave safe bowl. Add about 1/4 a cup of honey, a dash of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. Microwave for one minute, or until the mixture is of a drizzling consistency.

Drain the pears and let them dry just a bit before arranging them in the tart pan, working from the outside in.

Add a little sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pour the preserve/honey glaze over the top of the pears, making sure to cover all of the fruit in its tasty goodness.

 

 

 

Using one packet of raw sugar, sprinkle it over the surface of the tart. This gives it a nice finish and a little bit of caramelizing on the top.

 

Bake for about fifteen minutes, or until the pears start to brown a bit. Let cool before serving.

 

 

Now that the tart was done and dinner was eaten, it was time to grab a slice of that sweet tasty pearness and find out what this season has in store for us. A cup of tea topped off the evening quite nicely. And Kelly's tart was amazingly tasty! We all agreed the graham-nut crust would be a definite keeper for future desserts! Its always great to learn some alternatives to cooking when we have to deal with a loved one with a food sensitivity. It can be a fun and creative way to ensure your tasty treats can be enjoyed by the whole family.

 

Brightest Blessings!