Pear, Rhubarb and Raspberry Tart

Pear, Rhubarb and Raspberry Tart

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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 8
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 278.5
  • Total Fat: 5.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 86.8 mg
  • Total Carbs: 56.2 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g
  • Protein: 3.9 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Pear, Rhubarb and Raspberry Tart calories by ingredient


Introduction

Weekend trips to the farmer's market always inspire me. I love to pick up fresh, seasonal produce and go to work in the kitchen. In the springtime, the vibrant pink stalks of rhubarb call my name. This is a very simple but "tres elegant" tart. The key is in the arrangement of the fruit -- the best French tarts are works of art. I've arranged the fruit here to resemble a rosette. To cut down on fat and calories, I've used Smart Balance Light spread in the crust instead of butter, and a sugar/splenda blend instead of pure sugar. I'm sure Julia would not approve, but it's delicious, pretty, and not a diet-buster -- a win-win in my book. Enjoy! Weekend trips to the farmer's market always inspire me. I love to pick up fresh, seasonal produce and go to work in the kitchen. In the springtime, the vibrant pink stalks of rhubarb call my name. This is a very simple but "tres elegant" tart. The key is in the arrangement of the fruit -- the best French tarts are works of art. I've arranged the fruit here to resemble a rosette. To cut down on fat and calories, I've used Smart Balance Light spread in the crust instead of butter, and a sugar/splenda blend instead of pure sugar. I'm sure Julia would not approve, but it's delicious, pretty, and not a diet-buster -- a win-win in my book. Enjoy!
Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

    Crust:
    1 1/3 cup flour
    1 tbsp sugar
    1 tbsp splenda
    1/2 cup Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread

    Filling:
    4 firm Red D'Anjou pears -- peeled, cored, and sliced
    4 stalks fresh rhubarb -- washed, trimmed and sliced into 1/2" pieces
    2/3 cup flour
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup splenda
    1.5 tbsp cinnamon
    2 tbsp finely grated orange peel
    10-15 fresh or partially thawed whole raspberries for decoration

Directions

A French tart is all about the presentation, and to do this you need to be able to remove the tart in its entirety from the pan in which you cook it. Therefore, a true tart pan or springform style pan works best. However, you can also use a straight sided or fluted cake pan lined with parchment paper -- simply let the cooked tart cool completely then gently lift it out of the pan with the paper. This recipe is for a 10" tart.

Crust:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and splenda. Mix in the Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread and knead until doughy and not too sticky. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. If it gets too dry, add a little water. Once to the desired consistency, transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll out with a rolling pin until about 1/4" thickness. Carefully transfer it to the tart pan (or parchment lined caked pan) and press it into the bottom and sides (grooves) of the pan. Trim any excess from the top. Lightly prick the bottom of the crust. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 F or until crust is set.

Filling
Reduce the oven heat to 350 F. Mix the sliced pears, rhubarb, sugar, splenda, and cinnamon well in a large mixing bowl, ensuring the pears and rhubarb are well coated. Do not just dump the mixture into the crust! Instead, pick each piece out individually and arrange in the crust. To achieve the rosette, I made concentric rings of pears and rhubarb (1 ring of pears, 1 ring of rhubarb, and so on) layered until I had roughly 3-4 layers deep. Don't be afraid to layer the tart above the edge of the crust as the fruit will cook down during the baking process. Once the fruit is layered, sprinkle the grated orange peel over the top then dot with raspberries for decoration.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes on the center shelf, or until pears are cooked through. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Makes 8 slices. This tart is great by itself but can also be served with a dollop of light whipped cream (not included in the nutritional breakdown).

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CCEARLS.