Spessartart!

[VapidLapid]

As hokey as it may sound, I do believe that traditional home cooked food made with love can help heal all sorts of rifts and hurt feelings. Obviously it cant make things right that are already wrong, but in a way it helps us recalibrate our hurts and our priorities. And if that fails then at least it tastes good (and the house does smell heavenly). I offer you all this Pear and Spessartart. Really it is supposed to be paved with garnets but this was all I had.

 

[Agent P]

Yum!

 

[Cind11]

Hahahahahaha you are funny!!!! And that looks delicious - I would LOVE a piece!!!

 

[Largosmom]

I would like a peace, please. Tasty looking!

 

[Upgradable]

VL, you are a peach!!! Thanks for your unending humor. It always helps make feel better!

 

[baby nurse]

VL, your sense of humor is always the best ! Thank you!

Can I get a piece of that tart?

 

[Burberrygirl]

LOL!!!
Vapid, that looks delicious! I think your spessartart is the perfect way to soothe hurt feeling!

 

[y2kitty]

Spessartart of peace!

 

[iLander]

LOve it, Vapid!

 

[minousbijoux]

VL: you wonderful, thoughtful, healer! You should be showered with apple red and pear-shaped gems. Where do you live so we can all come over?

 

[mariedtiger]

I think you are a beautiful & kind soul Vapid! Thank you for the warm hearted and inspired idea, I wish you also could transfer the scent of that culinary piece of art to PS.

 

[Dandi]

You gorgeous thing Vapid, bless your litle cotton socks

 

[Kismet]

It looks yummy as do the gems!

My first thought after reading your into comment though was "I wonder what he did that needed apologies via baked goods?"

 

[JewelFreak]

Hey VL, let's have an argument, then you can make up with me!

--- Laurie

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

What a happy sight to wake up to !
Thank you and when shall we come over??

 

[PinkTower]

Do you have to roll the dough? Did you peel the pears?
If not, please post the recipe. Also, post a photo after you served it.

We had leftover apples at school Friday, and our Secty. made us a pie. It was out of this world, partially because it was not disgustingly sweet.

 

[VapidLapid]

I did roll the dough and peald the pairs. I used very ripe Bartlett pears but if you poach them first you can use bosc or seckle

D'oh!:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon granulated white sugar

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup FROZEN butter

1/4-1/2 cup ice water

If you use salted butter then omit the salt. I use a food processor. Put all the powery ingredients in food processor and pulse once just to mix. cut butter into slices about as thick as the diameter of a 4 carat garnet (1/2 tablespoon). Put butter in on top of the flour mix and pulse on for about 10-20 seconds. Drizzle ice water in. There is enough water when the dough holds together when compressed but is not sticky. Dump the dough out into dish and gather/compress into 2 hockey puck like disks. refrigerate these for half an hour to allow the gluten to relax. Clean and put away food processor.
Peal pairs. cut in half and remove core, put in bowl. combing 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ginger 2 tablespoons tapioca (ground in mortar and pestle if you have, if not dont sweat it) grated zest from a blood orange. Sprinkle this on the pears and let them sit at room temperature. Juice the afore mentioned orange and add to pears.
Roll the D'oh! not too thick not too thin 3/16" to fit in a 9 x 13 calibrated setting, I mean sheet pan. arrange pears cut side down. I usually take one pear and cut it into sections to fill in the sparse spots some. dot with 1 tablespoon butter cut into pieces. Roll out the top to fit. then pour the juices/sugar over the pears, put the top on and crimp. Brush with egg wash or heavy cream, sprinkle all over lightly with granular sugar, poke some holes in top and put in preheated 400º oven reducing heat immediately to 350. cook for 45 minutes? till done. Remove from oven and allow to cool. serve with creme fraiche and spessartite garnet garnish.

If you use poached pears: peal them, put in saucepan with 1 cup water 3 cups light rioja, 1 cup sugar cinnamon sticks & cloves, the peal of orange minus the quick (white). poach gently till done. allow the pears to cool in the liquid. Treat as above using a little less sugar. strain the poaching liquor and reduce to a syrup. Drizzle syrup over servings.

 

[marcy]

LOL! Homemade goodies can always soothe the soul. Lovely spessartitie too.

 

[chrono]

Just don't forget to remove the spessartite before eating the spessartate!

 

[Arkteia]

I would eat the spessartite, too, it looks yummy, just don't forget to take Nexium before you eat it.
Thank you for the recipe, it seems pretty easy to make. I used to make it in my younger years, only added sour cream and baking soda.