Quince Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream

[Olga Drozd]

QUINCE TART WITH CINNAMON ICE CREAM:

FOR THE ICE CREAM:

2 cups half and half cream
2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 vanilla bean, sliced in half and scraped
5 to 6 cinnamon sticks
1 slice lemon peel
12 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

FOR TART DOUGH:

1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
2 to 3 egg yolks

6 ripe quinces

To prepare ice cream, place half and half cream, heavy cream, vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and lemon peel in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and let steep 15 to 20 minutes.  Lightly beat egg yolks, add sugar, and temper with some of the hot cream mixture.  Add to saucepan with rest of cream mixture and cook over low heat stirring, until thick.  Strain, and cool over a bowl of ice.  Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

To make tart dough, sift together dry ingredients and cut in butter until well blended.  Add egg yolks and blend in.  Avoid overmixing.  Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Peel quinces, slice in half, and scoop out seeds.  Slice thinly, keeping the halves together.  Grease a baking sheet with some butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Place the sliced quince halves in the pan, pressing to fan them out slightly.  Place a dollop of butter on the quince halves and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 325º F. oven until cooked but firm.

Roll out chilled pastry dough to 1/8 inch thick and cut out circles somewhat larger than the quince halves.  Place pastry circles on parchment lined baking sheet, prick with a fork, and bake in a 350º F. oven until golden brown.

With a spatula, lift quince halves and turn onto pastry circles, arranging them attractively.  Sprinkle with sugar and caramelize with a hot iron or under a broiler.  Serve with cinnamon ice cream.  Serves 6.