Pear and Almond Tart

I have dug myself out from under the mountain of pears!

I had a few pears left ripening on my counter that I needed to use so I whipped up this lovely little tart (and promptly ate a HUGE piece!) I kept the flavors mild and simple so the pears shine through but this recipe could easily be spiced up with a little cinnamon and cardamom. The flakey crust makes it perfect for a light dessert or breakfast pastry.

Pear and Almond Tart

Ingredients
Puffy pastry sheet, thawed
4 small pears
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup honey, warmed

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to remove creases. Place onto baking sheet and pierce with a fork every couple inches to prevent air bubbles.
In a small bowl combine ground almonds (I used my blender to grind them. Approximately 1 cup sliced = 1/2 cup ground), sugar, and flour. Add the room temperature butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle onto the pastry leaving about a 1/2 inch perimeter.
Next peel, core and thinly slice the pears. Toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Lay them on the pastry in rows, slightly overlapping.
Brush the pears with melted butter and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush the pears with warmed honey. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned.
allow to cool slightly before serving.