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1
Whisk egg yolks and apple cider in small bowl to blend.
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2
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor.
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3
Add chilled butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
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4
Add egg yolk mixture and process until moist clumps form.
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5
Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.
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6
Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.
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7
Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom; chill while preparing filling.
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8
(Can be made 1 day ahead.
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9
Keep chilled.)
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10
Position rack in lowest third of oven.
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11
Preheat to 375F.
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12
Blend almond paste and sugar in processor until almond paste is finely ground.
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13
Add 1/4 cup flour and 3 tablespoons room-temperature butter and process until thick paste forms.
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14
Add eggs and vanilla extract and process until smooth.
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15
Spread filling in crust; cover and chill while preparing pears.
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16
Peel pears.
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17
Cut each pear in half lengthwise and core.
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18
Slice 1 pear half crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
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19
Press on pear half to fan slices toward wider end.
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20
Slide spatula under pear half and place atop tart filling, positioning narrow end of pear in center of tart and wider end against crust.
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21
Repeat with remaining pear halves.
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22
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
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23
Brush over pears.
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24
Bake tart until pears are tender and crust is brown, about 50 minutes.
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25
Cool 30 minutes.
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26
Remove from pan and serve warm or at room temperature.
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27
(Tart can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead.
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28
Let stand at room temperature.)
