Simple Pear Tart

I divided the mixture up into two and made one pear tart and the other plum using 8" round tins instead of the larger one.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened, unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound pears 
• Juice of ½ lemon, divided
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Butter and line an 8-inch springform pan. 
2. With an electric mixer, cream ½ cup butter and 1 cup sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then baking powder, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg (if using).
3. Beat in flour on low until batter just comes together. Spread in pan. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 20 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 375°F/ 190c
5. While crust is chilling, core and slice pears into 1/2-inch slices.  Toss them with half the lemon juice, so they don’t turn brown. Set aside to wait for crust to finish chilling.
6. Remove crust from refrigerator, and arrange pears in tight concentric circles on top of dough. Squeeze remaining lemon juice evenly over pears.
7. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle over pears. Bake for 45-55 minutes (mine took 40 minutes)or until edges are golden and center is set. It will puff up quite a bit in the oven, but settle back down as it cools.
8. Cool tart in pan for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edge. Remove sides of pan.
9. Serves 8.