Musician’s Tart

FRUIT FILLING
1 c Dried pears; cored, coarsely
; chopped (4 ounces)
; (scant)
1 c Pitted dates; halved (scant)
1/3 c Pear nectar
1/4 c Firmly packed dark brown
-sugar

-NUT TOPPING-
6 tb Unsalted butter; (3/4 stick)
6 tb Firmly packed dark brown
-sugar
3 tb Light corn syrup
1/2 c Pine nuts; (about 2 ounces)
1/2 c Toasted whole almonds;
-(about 2 ounces)
1/2 c Dry roasted cashew nuts;
-(about 2 ounces)
1 1/2 tb Whipping cream

For crust: Mix first ingredients in processor. Add butter and cut in using
on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in yolk and vanilla
using on/off turns. Blend in enough cream by teaspoonfuls to form dough
that begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to
12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable
bottom. Trim edges. Freeze crust 15 minutes. Line with foil. Fill with
dried beans or pie weights. Bake until sides are set, about 10 minutes.
Remove foil and beans; bake crust until golden, about 20 minutes more. Cool
completely on rack.

For fruit filling: Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan and
bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Puree mixture in processor
to thick paste. Cool completely.

For nut topping: Preheat oven to 400F. Cook first 3 ingredients in heavy
large saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat
and bring to boil. Boil vigorously 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add nuts and
cream.

Spread fruit filling in crust; smooth top. Set tart on cookie sheet. Spoon
nut topping over. Bake until filling bubbles, about 20 minutes. Transfer
tart to rack and cool 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, loosen tart pan sides
but do not remove. Cool tart completely in pan. (Can be prepared 1 day
ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) Remove pan sides. Cut tart
into wedges.

Serves 6.