Recipe: Pierre Hermé's Bourdaloue Tart

1 Cut the butter into small pieces, place it in a bowl and soften it with a spatula, without letting it become frothy.

2 Add successively the icing sugar, ground almonds, cornstarch, eggs and bitter almond extract, beating with an electric mixer on low speed.

3 Fold in the pastry cream (cold), which you will have prepared just before, mixing well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cream if you won't use it immediately.

4 Cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a mixing bowl. Crush it with a wooden spatula and stir quickly.

5 In a bowl, dissolve the salt in water or milk and pour it gradually over the butter, stirring regularly with the spatula.

6 Sift the flour and incorporate it in several additions, sprinkling it in little by little, without overworking the dough.

7 Place the dough on a work surface and flatten it under your palm, pushing it away. Gather it back together and repeat to make it homogeneous. Form it into a ball and flatten it slightly between your hands. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

8 Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

9 Roll out the dough to 2 mm thickness and carefully place it on a buttered 22 cm mold, using your thumb and index finger to create a small ridge on the edges. Pour the almond cream to halfway and smooth it well.

10 Cut the pears into thin slices or halves as you prefer and arrange them on top.

11 Bake for 30 minutes. When the tart is warm, unmold it and using a brush, glaze the top with apricot coating.