Pour creamy vanilla custard over a tender cookie crust and top with brandy-soaked pears. “Tahitian vanilla adds cherry flavor notes to this tart, making it a natural to pair with nutmeg,” says recipe developer Alice Medrich. “Other vanilla extracts would also work.”

• 7 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ teaspoon Tahitian vanilla extract or vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons Tahitian vanilla extract or vanilla extract
• 1 recipe Spiced Pears (recipe below)

1. For nutmeg crust, position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl combine butter, ¼ cup sugar, ¾ teaspoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg. Add flour; mix just until well blended. If dough is too soft, let stand a few minutes to firm up.

2. Evenly press dough on bottom and sides of a 9- to 9-½-inch square or round tart pan in a thin layer. (This takes patience, as there is just enough dough.) Refrigerate 30 minutes to firm the dough.

3. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is a deep golden brown, checking after 15 minutes. If dough has puffed from bottom of pan, prick a few times and gently press down with back of a fork. Cool in pan on wire rack.

4. For vanilla filling, in heavy medium saucepan whisk ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and ⅛ teaspoon salt to blend. Add 3 Tablespoons half-and-half and whisk to form a smooth paste. Whisk in remaining half-and-half. Using a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon, stir constantly over medium heat, scraping bottom, sides, and corners of pan until filling thickens and begins to bubble. Cook and stir 1 minute more to fully cook cornstarch. Stir in the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Immediately pour into crust, leveling with spatula. Cool 1 hour, uncovered, at room temperature. Refrigerate in covered container to cool completely. Serve with Spiced Pears.

Makes 12 servings.

Spiced Pears: In large saucepan combine 1½ cups white wine, ½ cup Poire William (pear liqueur) or pear nectar, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 2 teaspoons vanilla. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Stir in 3 sliced firm, ripe pears. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes more or until pears are crisp-tender. Remove from heat; cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.