Every year on March 14th, the kids want me to bake a pie because it is Pi Day. Since Kelly recently passed along a new pie recipe from a friend that took a baking class, I decided to yield to their pleas and make a pie for Pi Day.

If you are not an engineer or a mathematician, you may not remember what π represents. This never-ending number is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. It is used as a constant in formulas concerning circles, ellipses or spheres in trigonometry and geometry.

This year is a big deal for those who celebrate Pi Day. At exactly 9:26:53 AM, pi enthusiasts will be able to write out the date as 3/14/15; 9:26:53. Those are the first 10 unrounded digits of pi in perfect order, an occurrence that won’t happen again for 100 years. That makes tomorrow the Pi Day of the Century! And, as an extra added bonus, March 14th is Albert Einstein’s birthday.

Almond & Pear Tart

Almond & Pear Tart  (adapted from a King Arthur Flour baking class) Serves 8-10

Crust

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons soft butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup (1 3/4 ounces) almond flour or finely ground almonds

Filling

• 3 tablespoons soft butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds
• 1 15 ounce can pear halves, well drained
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 tablespoon white sparkling sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°.  To make the crust: Beat together the sugar, butter, salt and extracts.

Mix the butter with the sugar & the extracts.

Add the flours, stirring to make crumbs that cling together when squeezed. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan.

The dough for the crust will be crumbly.

Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Chill the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes, then bake it until it’s just beginning to brown on the edges, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.

To make the filling: Beat together the butter, salt, sugar, flour and almond extract. Beat in the eggs, then add the almond flour, stirring just until it is combined.

Add the eggs into the filling after the butter, salt, sugar, flour & extract are well mixed. The almonds are added to the filling last.

Spread the filling in the bottom of the cooled crust.

Add the filling to the cooled crust.

Place the well-drained pears on top of the filling, pressing them down gently so the edges are covered. Brush the pears with the melted butter.

Evenly space the pear halves around the tart.

Sprinkle the tart with the white sparkling sugar.

The sparkling sugar adds a festive touch to the tart.

Bake the tart for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.

Celebrating Pi Day in a tasty way!

Geek out with some pie this weekend!  ~Linda

Almond & Pear Tart  (adapted from a King Arthur Flour baking class) Serves 8-10

Crust

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons soft butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup (1 3/4 ounces) almond flour or finely ground almonds

Filling

• 3 tablespoons soft butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds
• 1 15 ounce canned pear halves, well drained
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 tablespoon white sparkling sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°.  To make the crust: Beat together the sugar, butter, salt and extracts. Add the flours, stirring to make crumbs that cling together when squeezed. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Chill the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes, then bake it until it’s just beginning to brown on the edges, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.

To make the filling: Beat together the butter, salt, sugar, flour and almond extract. Beat in the eggs, then add the almond flour, stirring just until it is combined. Spread the filling in the bottom of the cooled crust. Place the well-drained pears on top of the filling, pressing them down gently so the edges are covered. Brush the pears with the melted butter and sprinkle them with the white sparkling sugar. Bake the tart for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.