Quick & Easy Puff Pastry Pear Tarts
When pears are in season, these Puff Pastry Pear Tarts are essential to make. They include buttery puff pastry, sweet poached pears, and a walnut filling for some crunch. These make a wonderful fall dessert when served with a dusting of icing sugar and a scoop of ice cream. However, they can also be served as a breakfast pastry when you want something a little more luxurious with your coffee in the morning.
To make these puff pastry pear tarts, you begin by making a spiced syrup on the stove and then poaching pear halves in that syrup until they are tender. Then, a filling of walnuts, honey, and orange zest are combined before being spooned into the hollows of the pears. The pear halves get placed on squares of puff pastry with the filled side facing down before being baked to golden perfection in the oven. A mint leaf and a dusting of icing sugar makes these an elegant dessert to serve to anyone at a dinner party.
What are Puff Pastry Pear Tarts?
Puff pastry pear tarts are a common dessert in the Autumn when pears are at their prime. They are often made with in-season pears and sheets of puff pastry, but pear tartlets can be made with homemade puff pastry or pie dough as well.
Often, you can find a large puff pastry pear tart that has sliced pears fanned on top of the pastry rather than including large pear halves. Tarts like this may also include a frangipane or added spices like cinnamon.
Anyone who loves apple tarts in the fall will enjoy these puff pastry pear tarts as well. The combination of soft and sweet pears with the crunchy walnut filling will keep people coming back for more.
Pro Tips
- Keep your thawed puff pastry in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Choose ripe firm-fleshed pears rather than ones that are overly ripe as they may not hold their shape during poaching and baking.
- Any pears will work for these puff pastry pear tarts including Bosc, Bartlett, or Anjou.
- If you don’t have walnuts on hand, pecans would be a delicious substitute.
- To tell the pears are properly poached, simply insert a toothpick into them to see if it comes out easily. If there is some resistance, chances are that the pears will need a little longer to cook.
- To make these puff pastry pear tarts vegan, choose a vegan puff pastry from the store and replace the honey with maple syrup.
- Once the pears are poached, drain them on paper towels as any excess liquid may make the puff pastry soggy.
What to Serve with Puff Pastry Pear Tarts?
These puff pastry pear tarts don’t need to be served with anything other than a hot cup of coffee. However, to make this dessert even more special, you can serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. The whipped cream can be blended with some orange zest to pair with the orange flavor in the tarts.
What Types of Pears Should I Use in This Tart Recipe?
Any type of pears would work well in this recipe as long as they aren’t too soft. Choose Anjoy, Bosc, or Bartlett pears that are ripe but still firm.
How Do You Thaw Puff Pastry?
The puff pastry you buy from the store will likely have thawing instructions on it. Generally, you should thaw puff pastry in the fridge and it will likely need to thaw over several hours.
Can I Make These Tarts With Apples?
Yes, you definitely could! However, the apples likely won’t need to poach for as long as the pears.
More Pear Desserts You Need to Try Your Hand At!
How to Store Puff Pastry Pear Tarts
These puff pastry pear tarts should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for up to 2 days. They shouldn’t be stored at room temperature due to the fruit component.
Ingredients
How to Make Puff Pastry Pear Tarts
Combine the water, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, and star anise in a pot, and bring it to a boil. Peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove their cores. Poach them in the poaching liquid until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pears and allow them to drain on paper towels.
Combine the water, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, and star anise in a pot, and bring it to a boil. Peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove their cores. Poach them in the poaching liquid until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pears and allow them to drain on paper towels.
In a bowl, stir the walnuts with the honey and orange zest until combined. Spoon the mixture into the hollows of the pears. Cut the puff pastry into 6 rectangles. Place each pear half on a rectangle with the hollow side facing down. Cut around the pear, brush it with syrup, and sprinkle it with sugar.
In a bowl, stir the walnuts with the honey and orange zest until combined. Spoon the mixture into the hollows of the pears. Cut the puff pastry into 6 rectangles. Place each pear half on a rectangle with the hollow side facing down. Cut around the pear, brush it with syrup, and sprinkle it with sugar.
Bake in a 180°C (350°F) oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve garnished with mint leaves and a dusting of icing sugar.
Bake in a 180°C (350°F) oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve garnished with mint leaves and a dusting of icing sugar.
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