Brown butter, vanilla-bean seeds, and freshly grated ginger are used here in good measure to flavor individual pear-custard-filled pies. The pleated pastry shells are formed in a standard muffin tin, allowing for easy removal after baking.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 12
Ingredients
For the Crust
For the Filling
Preparation
Step 1
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter and shortening; pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 times. Combine vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water, and drizzle evenly over mixture; pulse just until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Step 2
Pat dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour or up to 1 day.
Step 3
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut twelve 5-inch rounds from dough. Gently press rounds into cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin, making pleats around edges and gently pressing to seal. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 375°F. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow. Whisk in lemon juice, then flour and salt. Place diced pears in a medium bowl.
Step 5
In a small saucepan, heat butter, vanilla bean and seeds, and grated ginger over medium-high until butter foams and browns, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve over pears; discard solids. Stir egg mixture into pear mixture until combined.
Step 6
Divide batter among chilled shells. Bake pies until crusts and filling are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in tins on a wire rack, 30 to 40 minutes. Unmold; let cool completely on rack. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.
