Kiwi Fruit Tart

 

1/2 batch Sweet Pastry Dough
4 eggs
1 cup organic heavy cream
6 oz. granulated sugar
4 tsp. pear brandy
8 ripe kiwi fruit, peeled
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
Sweet Pastry Dough
1/2 lb. (1-3/4 heaping cups) unsifted all-purpose flour
5 oz. (10 tbsp.) chilled unsalted butter or margarine, cut into 5 pieces
1/4 cup sugar
2 or 3 drops vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 - 2 tbsp. water

 

      Heat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).  Meanwhile, roll out dough to fit a quiche pan (10 dia x 1-1/2" deep) Crimp edges and remove excess dough.  Line dough with parchment paper or aluminum foil; fill it with baking beans, dried beans, or uncooked rice.  Bake until pastry is browned, 15 - 20 minutes.  Remove pan from oven, reduce temperature to 325ºF (165ºC).  Remove paper or foil and weights from pastry.  In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to stir eggs, cream, sugar and brandy just until blended.  Place a finely-meshed strainer over another bowl; pour mixture through strainer, pressing it through with a rubber spatula.  Cut each peeled kiwi crosswise into 4 slices.  Arrange slices neatly in (pre-baked) pie shell.  Pour egg mixture over kiwi.  Bake until egg mixture is puffy, golden, and set, 45 - 50 minutes.  Remove tart from oven and turn on broiler.  Hold a small, dry fine-meshed sieve over tart, spoon in confectioners' sugar.  Tap side of sieve to dust tart filling evenly with sugar.  Put tart under broiler; broil just until sugar melts and filling looks lightly glazed, no more than 1 minute, watching carefully to avoid burning.  Remove tart and cool on a wire rack before cutting and serving at room temperature.  Makes 6 servings.  Sweet Pastry Dough Directions:  Put flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade.  Process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 seconds.  In a small cup, lightly beat egg yolks and 1 tbsp. water.  With processor running, pour the yolk mixture through feed tube and continue processing until a ball of dough forms that 'rides' around bowl on blade; if necessary, add up to 1 tbsp. more water until dough comes together.  Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before use.  For a single-crust tart, which requires just 1/2 lb. dough, divide dough in half.  Re-wrap second piece of dough, airtight; refrigerate or freeze until ready to use for another food.  Makes 1 lb. dough.