Makes 6 individual tarts
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for molds
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
6 tablespoons cold water
ADDITIONAL
1 large pear, for mold
Nonstick cooking spray
Standard 6-cup muffin tin
• Mix flour and salt in a medium metal bowl. Use a pastry cutter to incorporate shortening, mixing until slightly and uniformly crumbly. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending as you go. Once mixture is evenly blended, quickly form into a ball. Flatten dough ball slightly with your hands, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for half an hour.
• In the meantime, cut six 6-inch squares of aluminum foil (heavy-duty foil works best) and form each around half of the pear to create rigid molds of the pear’s shape. Lightly spray molds with cooking spray and then dust lightly with flour.
• Remove dough from fridge and roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out six circles roughly 6 inches in diameter. Using your hands, mold each dough circle around half of the pear as you did with the foil, to make the general shape before pressing them into your homemade foil molds. Set prepared tart crusts gently in cups of muffin tin, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in fridge until ready to fill. Wrap leftover dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to seal your pies.
5 cups peeled, cored, and sliced pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss pears in lemon juice. Place a handful of pears in each tart crust, filling them just full.
• In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of sugar mixture into each tart. Dice butter and dab bits over exposed fruit.
• Retrieve leftover dough from fridge and roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 3-inch circles and place one on top of each tart. Using your fingers, crimp edges to seal. Poke several holes in centers to allow steam to escape. Still in the muffin tin, bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until crusts are golden. Allow to cool completely, then remove from foil molds and place on a work surface, rounded side up.
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Several drops of green food coloring
• Mix confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and green food coloring in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, baste rounded sides of tarts smoothly with pear glaze. Allow to dry completely before applying the finishing glaze (below).
3 tablespoons pear juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Mix pear juice, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, baste exteriors of tarts and allow 10 minutes to dry. This gives them a realistic sheen and appearance.
