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Ginger Brown-Butter: Slice the unpeeled ginger root into 1/4 inch rounds.
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set aside.
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3
Sift flour and ground ginger.
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4
Set aside.
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5
Whisk together the eggs and sugar until combined.
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6
Beat in flour and ground ginger.
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set aside.
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8
In a small saucepan, heat butter with vanilla bean and ginger root over high heat until brown and foamy.
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9
Continue heating until bubbles subside and the butter is dark brown and smoking.
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Whisking continuously, pour hot butter in a steady stream into the egg mixture.
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Combine well.
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Strain and discard vanilla bean and ginger root.
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13
The ginger brown-butter can be made to this point and refrigerated for a week.
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Warm to room temperature before using.
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15
Poaching the Pears: Combine all ingeredients except pears in a stainless steel saucepan.
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16
Peel, halve and core pears and drop immediately into liquid.
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Place a clean kitchen towel over the pears on the surface of the liquid, to keep them submerged.
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Bring to a boil and reduce heat to just below a simmer until the pears can be easily pierced with a wooden skewer.
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Spread pears on a parchment lined sheetpan and refrigerate until cool.
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These will keep covered for a couple of days.
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Reserve 1 cup of the poaching liquid.
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22
Assembling The Tart: Preheat oven to 350.
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23
Line a 10-inch tart ring with sweet tart dough.
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Pour or pipe ginger brown butter into the pastry shell, filling to 1/2 inch of the top.
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Place pears, cut side down on a cutting board and cut them crosswise into 1/8 inch slices.
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Keep the sliced pear halves in tact.
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Press slightly to shingle the slices and slightly elongate their shape.
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Slip a thin offset spatula under each of the sliced pear halves and place on top of the brown butter, stem end toward the center.
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29
Arrange pear halves around the tart like the spokes of a wheel.
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30
If there is room in the center add another pear half or additional slices.
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You should have approximately 7 halves around the outside and one half in the middle.
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32
This will depend largely on the size of the pears.
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Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until well browned.
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Cool.
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35
Just before serving, boil the reserved poaching liquid until it reduces to 1/4 cup.
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36
It will be very thick.
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37
With a pastry brush, paint a thin layer of glaze over the pears.
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38
Remove tart from the tart ring and slice.
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39
Serve with vanilla or ginger ice cream.
