Vanilla-Spiced Caramel and Pear Tart

Roll out pastry to 12-inch squareand trim off corners, forming slightlyrounded crust. (If using all-butter puffpastry, roll out to 12-inch round.)

Transferpastry to 10-inch-diameter springform pan,pressing pastry firmly onto bottom and 1 to1 1/2 inches up sides of pan. Freeze crust untilfirm, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Melt butter in heavy largeskillet over low heat.

Add sugar and next4 ingredients. Scrape in seeds from vanillabean; add bean. Increase heat to medium-highand cook, stirring until sugar melts andturns brown (color of peanut butter), about3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; addpears, rounded side down. Cook until pearsare almost tender, turning and movingskillet around occasionally to ensure evencooking, 10 to 15 minutes, depending onripeness of pears. Carefully turn pears over;continue to cook until pears are very tender,about 10 minutes longer.

Remove skilletfrom heat; cool pears in skillet with spices(pears will release juice while cooling).

Melt butter in small saucepanover low heat. Scrape in seeds from vanillabean; add bean.

Add cinnamon, star anise,and cloves. Increase heat to medium;cook until butter is golden (watch to avoidburning), 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove vanillabean and spices from butter; discard.

Whisk sugar, egg, and coarse salt inmedium bowl.

Whisk in flour. Graduallywhisk browned butter into egg mixture.DO AHEAD: Pears and filling can be made 6hours ahead. Cover separately; let stand atroom temperature.

Whisk filling before using.

Position rack in center of oven; preheatto 400°F.

Brush frozen crust with beaten eggwhite.

Pour filling into crust; spread evenlyover bottom of crust (filling will be verythin). Using slotted spatula, remove pearsfrom skillet, allowing excess syrup to drainback into skillet; reserve syrup. Arrangepears, rounded side up, atop filling (about 9around edge and 3 in center of pan).

Bake tart until crust is deep golden andfilling is set and brown at edges, about 1hour. Run small knife around sides of panto loosen tart. Release pan sides.

Transfertart to platter.

Let stand, uncovered, at roomtemperature to cool slightly until just warm.

Just before serving, boil syrup in skilletuntil reduced to generous 1/3 cup, 1 to 2minutes. Discard spices.

Drizzle syrup overpears.

Serve tart slightly warm.