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1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the pears, nutmeg and half of the lemon juice together in a bowl.
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2
Melt the butter with the remaining lemon juice, the salt and 3 tablespoons water in a heavy ovenproof 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
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3
Sprinkle the sugar into the skillet and stir to combine.
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4
Cook the mixture without stirring, letting it foam and bubble; the butter will separate, which is OK. Watch the mixture carefully while it cooks because once the water evaporates and the sugar begins to change color, things happen quickly.
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5
When it becomes the color of light brown sugar, about 10 minutes, remove it from the heat.
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6
Stir in the vanilla.
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7
Being careful not to burn yourself, sprinkle the cranberries and ginger into the caramel.
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8
Arrange the pears in the skillet round side-down in concentric circles as nicely as you can, fitting in as many pears as possible.
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9
Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat and cook until the pears start to soften when you poke them with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes.
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10
While your pears cook, roll out your Pie Crust on a flour-dusted surface to an 11-inch circle.
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11
Cover the crust with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
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12
Lay the crust over the pears, tucking it in around the edge of the skillet with a wooden spoon.
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13
Bake until the crust is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
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14
Allow the tart to cool until you can handle it, about 10 minutes.
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15
Put a plate on top of the tart using heatproof pads and flip it over so the pears are on top.
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16
Slice and serve warm with creme fraiche, if using.
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17
Combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed but still visible in chunks.
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18
While pulsing, add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is just wet enough to hold together when pinched between your fingers.
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19
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, form into a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
