Candied Quince Tart Recipe

Directions:

1. Make pastry shell: In a food processor or in a bowl with a pastry blender pulse or blend together flour, confectioners' sugar, butter, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl stir together sour cream, yolk, and vanilla until combined well and add to flour mixture. Pulse or blend mixture just until dough forms a ball. Form three fourths dough into a large, thick disk and form remaining one fourth dough into a small, thick disk. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
2. Put large dough disk in middle of a sheet of parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Roll out dough into a 11-inch round (about 3/8 inch thick) and cut out a 10-inch circle. Reserve trimmings and slide parchment onto a large baking sheet.
3. On a lightly floured surface roll out small dough disk in same manner and with a 1 1/2-inch fluted tear-shaped cutter cut out leaves. Brush 1 side of each leaf with egg wash and arrange leaves, egg-wash side down, on edge of pastry round, overlapping slightly and alternating angle of leaves to form a shallow border. Gather trimmings (including reserved) and re-roll. Make and arrange more leaves in same manner. (You will need a total of about 36 leaves.)
4. Brush leaves with egg wash and with back of a small knife score leaves decoratively. Lightly prick inside (not leaves) of shell all over with a fork and chill 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F. while shell is chilling.
6. Bake shell in middle of oven, checking after 10 minutes and lightly pricking again if center rises, until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool shell completely on baking sheet on a rack. Shell may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
7. Make filling: Peel quince and cut lengthwise into 8 wedges, coring it. Cut each wedge cross-wise into thin slices and in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan combine with water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until quince is tender and has turned a deep pink (near end of cooking), and syrup is reduced and thickened. Discard cinnamon stick and cloves and stir in lemon juice.
8. Cool filling 5 minutes and spread evenly in shell. Tart may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.