These incredible puff pastry pear tarts coated with salted caramel take less than an hour to make and look like they came out of a patisserie shop. They make a delicious autumnal dessert that will wow your friends and family!
If you love the idea of fruit baked into puff pastry, take a look at another seasonal favourite Apple Turnovers.
Have you ever walked into a European style bakery and felt absolutely in awe of the craftsmanship, skill and creativity? I know I am always amazed at delicious things displayed.
Would you be happy if I told you that for some of them are so easy to make? And you don’t even have to get up at the crack of dawn and get baking!
Pear Tart Recipe
These delectable pear tarts took me 40 minutes to make. What is even better I’ve prepared a step-by step video tutorial on how you can do the same. Then you can surprise your friends and family at your Thanksgiving feast with these beauties.
This puff pastry dessert is beautiful and delicious despite the simplicity of preparation. I also love that it uses a very plain fruit like pear and turns it into a real star! I love pears in season and use them for many bakes. This Spiced Pear Baked Oatmeal is an excellent way to start a day!
I’ve used prepared and already rolled puff pastry, which made the whole process pure joy. All you really need to do do is assemble the tarts – kind of like doing a bit of craft, actually.
How to Make Them
This is the least fussy dessert recipe but it tastes divine. I made a video, so you could see for yourself just how easy these pear tarts are. Once you know how to fold them, the rest is up to the ingredients. They are what make these tarts irresistible.
What Pears to Use
I am not very particular on what variety of pears you use. Anything that happens to be in your fruit basket or local supermarket will do. I used Conference pears simply because they are small and readily available in my area.
One thing I’d like to mention is to make sure your pears are ripe as the tarts only spend 30 minutes in the oven, which is not long enough for hard pears to cook. They should also be small in size.
Salted Caramel for Pear Tarts
Now onto the salted caramel topping. It sounds intimidating but in reality is very simple to make for this particular recipe.
All you have to do is to sprinkle brown sugar, heavy cream and sea salt over the pears before baking. And they turn into salted caramel in the oven without you doing a thing! Genius.
This recipe produces a pear tart with a delicate taste. They are not too sweet. I’ve served mine dusted with powdered sugar.
These tarts are at the most delicious state shortly after they are baked although they will easily last a day. So if you want to make them a day ahead, it’s not a problem!
More Easy Puff Pastry Dessert Recipes for You:
This recipe was originally published in 10/2013. Updated with new photos, text and video and republished in 10/2020.
Ingredients
- 375g/13 oz all butter puff pastry
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 ripe pears small or medium
- 8 tsp Demerara (brown) sugar
- 8 tsp double/heavy cream no half and half
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F/190C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out your puff pastry. If you are using a block, dust your work surface with some flour and roll out a rectangle ¼″ thick. Divide your rectangular shaped puff pastry into 8 small rectangles. With a sharp knife, cut an “L” into 2 opposing corners, don’t cut all the way but leave a ½-inch in two corners. Brush with the beaten egg . Pick up the cut corners of the pastry, cross them over each other (one over, one under) and lay them flat (now on opposite sides). Brush the tops of the pastry with the egg wash and put the prepared pastries in the refrigerator to chill.
- While the pastry is chilling, prepare the pear filling. Peel the pears and split them in half lengthwise, core them, and slice in ¼″ slices.
- Take the pastry shells out of the fridge and set them on your work surface, place one pear half in the centre of each tart. Then sprinkle with a teaspoon of brown sugar and a teaspoon/5ml of double cream per tart, then add a pinch sea salt on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until pears are soft and pastry is golden.
Video
Image from the original post published in 07/10/2013
Recipe source: Chef Anna Olson
Sherry Solis says
I just made these for dessert with friends and they came out beautifully. I love the subtle sweetness. I shared the tester with my husband, and we ate it with clotted cream. It was amazing!
vikalinka says
I am so happy to hear that, Sherry!! It’s one of my favourite recipes!
Alan says
This was a great recipe, and was simple enough for my 7 year old daughter to make with me. Just a couple of comments – we used Bosc pears but found them still quite hard when serving. Next time, we might either cook the pears for a while before putting on the pastry, or even poach them a little first. We also found the caramel topping a bit lacking, almost non-existent with the quantities used. Next time, we’ll probably double the amounts, but we’ll definitely be making it again!
vikalinka says
Hi Alan, I am really glad to hear that the recipe is easy enough to make with a 7 year old. To reply to your comments…success of any recipe with fruit depends on the ripeness of the fruit, so it’s important to evaluate it before proceeding with the recipe and decide whether it needs precooking. It sounds like yours did but the next time it might not. The recipe is only a guideline, so use your best judgment on how to proceed. The caramel topping is used in a very subtle, more European way. If you double the quantities, it would affect the pastry from becoming crispy. So I would recommend adding extra caramel once the tarts are baked.
Vicky says
These pear tarts look lovely, and I really want to make them this week-end, but I’m confused about the cutting directions. It looks like you cut all around the square. Do you leave the 1/2″ uncut around the opposing corners? Also, in some photos, it looks like you have two separate pieces of pastry-the flat and the “frame” on top of it. ??? If you could help me out , I would really appreciate it. Thanks.
Vicky
vikalinka says
Vicky, the photos are shown in stages. First the pastry squares are flat and you create frames by cutting 2 “Ls” in opposite corners but not all the way, then you pick up the cut corners and overlap them. I hope it’s helpful.
Angela Williams Duea says
These are wonderful! I just featured them on my blog, The Hungry Lovers, as one of 4 fabulous fall desserts. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Vikalinka says
Thank you for the feature, Angela!
kimberly says
These looked so good I had to make them. However I am kind of embarrassed to say this but I thought I had pears but they had gone bad overnight. I had already prepared the puff pastry so was at a lost at what to do. I opened the refrigerator and there was some prepared pears in a snack cup, so I figured what he heck, I have to say I added some walnuts and instead of cream I only had half and half so after egg washing the dough I cinnamon and sugared it then added the cubed pears and walnuts along with the brown sugar and half and half baked them off and they were fabulous! Thanks for the inspiration.
Vikalinka says
Kimberly, I am so pleased you loved the recipe. Your way of cooking sounds like mine. I substitute A LOT!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
Julia, these are so pretty! Thank you for a detailed photo tutorial. Pinned!
Jen @ Savory Simple says
These look wonderful! Your photography is lovely.
Vikalinka says
Thank you so much, Jen! It means a lot coming from you! 🙂
huntfortheverybest says
they look delish!
Vikalinka says
They taste amazing too. 🙂
Sarah | The Sugar Hit says
YUM! These look amazing – salted caramel and pear is such a great combination, I could demolish these.
Vikalinka says
Hahaha, yep they were sufficiently demolished here in one day!