Preparation:

1. Put flour in a bowl, add chilled butter cubes and mix with fingertips or dough cutter until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in the sugar.
3. Add the egg yolks and cut everything together with a knife or a dough cutter.
4. Form into a ball, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
5. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
6. Roll the dough between parchment paper sheets until it fits a 9 ½” tart pan including the sides. Place the pastry in the pan.
7. Prick base with a fork, line with parchment paper and spread rice/beans on top.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove rice/beans and paper and bake for 10 more minutes.
9. In the meantime, mix soft butter and sugar, then add one egg at a time.
10. Fold in almonds and flour.
11. Peel 2 very ripe pears, cut them in halves, core and slice thinly lengthwise, keeping the slices together.
12. Spread the filling over the cooled pastry crust, then place the pears like a cross on the filling, fanning them slightly.
13. Bake for 50 minutes, let it cool completely in its pan. Chill for 2 hours. Remove from pan.
14. Before serving, dust the edges with icing sugar.

Served with a steaming hot cup of dark roast coffee or strong tea it will send your guests to heaven.