Makes a 9-inch tart
Poached pears:

1 750-ml bottle of white wine
2/3 cup (132 g) sugar
5 2-inch strips of lemon zest plus 2 T juice
1 cinnamon stick
15 whole peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1/8 t salt
½ vanilla bean (optional)
4 Bosc or Bartlett pears (about 900 g), peeled, cored and halved

Filling:

9-inch pastry crust
2 cup blanched, slivered almonds
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1/8 t salt
1 large egg plus one white
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t almond extract
6 T unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened
apple jelly, strained apricot preserves, or chocolate ganache for glaze

Combine the wine, sugar, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves, and salt in a large saucepan. If using, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, then scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the pod to the liquid. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Slide the pear halves in the simmering wine mixture; return to simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and poach pears, turning them occasionally, until tender and a skewer can be inserted into the pear with little resistance, about 10 minutes.

Off the heat, let the pears cool in the liquid, partially covered, until the pears have turned translucent and are cool enough to handle, about 1 hour.

Roll out a 9-inch pastry crust in a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Partially bake (375 F for about 30 minutes) and cool. (This is blind baking and you already know how to do this from previous posts.)

Pulse almonds, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add egg and white, almond extract, and vanilla extract and process until combined. Add butter and process until no lumps remain.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread filling evenly over the cooled pastry shell. Remove pears from the poaching liquid and pat dry with paper towels. On a cutting board, cut 1 poached pear half into 3/8-inch slices, leaving slices intact. Pat dry again to absorb moisture. Discard first 4 slices from the smaller end of the pear half. Slide a spatula under the sliced pear and, steadying it with your hand, slide the pear into the center of the tart shell. Gently spread the slices with a spatula to cover more of the filling. Repeat with the other pear halves.

Bake the tart on a baking sheet until the crust is deep golden brown and the almond filling is puffy, brown and firm to the touch, about 45 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.

To glaze, melt apply jelly or strained apricot preserves in a small pan until bubbling. Brush the pears with a pastry brush. Alternately, allow tart to cool and drizzle chocolate ganache over pears.

NOTE: Poached pears can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen after poaching.
Source: Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book