CONTEST DESSERT: Baked Apple, Pear & Cranberry Tart

BAKED APPLE, PEAR AND CRANBERRY TART
An original recipe by BumbleBeeBoogie

DOUGH:
3/4 cup all-purpose white flour
3 tablespoons icy-cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoons ice-cold water

FILLING:
1 large Granny Smith apple
1 large Anjou pear
1/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
2 tablespoons apricot jam OR Quince jam or jelly, heated
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

If you have a food processor, process for 5 seconds only the flour, butter and sugar. Then add the ice water and process only for another 5 seconds. If you don't have a food processor, blend the ingredients with a fork or pastry blender being careful to maintain the butter chunkiness to make a flaky crust. Press the dough between two layers of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Roll it out to form a circle about 10 inches in diameter. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate.

Peel, core and cut in half the apple and the pear. Place the apple and pear halves, cut side down, alternating in the center of the tart dough. Spoon the cranberries around the apple and pear halves to fill in. Spoon the heated apricot or quince jam over the fruit. Bring the edges of the tart dough up over the fruit in a free-form manner to create a border one to two inches high around the edge that will hold the cooking juices inside. Sprinkle the top of the tart with the sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake at 425 degrees F. for 45 minutes to one hour, until well-browned and crusty. Best served at room temperature. Serves 4.