Description
Delightful caramelized pears and blue cheese tarts featuring flaky puff pastry topped with sweet, buttery pears, creamy blue cheese, and crunchy walnuts. Perfect as a sophisticated appetizer or a dessert with a balance of sweet and savory flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 1 sheet store bought frozen puff pastry, thawed (25 cm x 25 cm / 10″ x 10″)
Fruit and Topping
- 2 pears
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (gorgonzola recommended)
- 3 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pastry: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment or baking paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Cut and Score Pastry: Cut the thawed puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares. Transfer each square carefully to the baking tray. Using a knife, lightly score a 2/3 inch (1.5 cm) border around each pastry square to allow the edges to puff separately during baking.
- Slice Pears: Core and quarter the pears, then slice each quarter into 3 or 4 thin slices for even caramelization and layering on the tarts.
- Caramelize Pears: In a small frying pan or saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the pear slices with butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pears soften and the mixture turns syrupy.
- Cooling and Egg Wash: Remove the pear mixture from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, brush the scored borders of the pastry squares with the beaten egg to ensure a glossy, golden crust.
- Assemble Tarts: Spoon the caramelized pears and syrup mixture onto the center of each pastry square, keeping within the scored borders to prevent overflow.
- Bake Tarts: Bake the pastries in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they start turning golden. Then, sprinkle the walnuts onto the baking tray around the tarts and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes. Total bake time is 20 to 25 minutes until the pastries turn deep golden brown.
- Cool and Finish: Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Top each tart with crumbled blue cheese and scatter the toasted walnuts over the top. Drizzle remaining syrup from the pear pan over the tarts for extra sweetness and shine.
- Serve: Serve the tarts immediately, optionally accompanied by a dollop of creamy, thick yoghurt to balance the richness and sweetness.
Notes
- The sweet, soft pears perfectly complement the creamy, salty blue cheese, creating a harmonious flavor contrast.
- The flaky puff pastry base provides a satisfying texture that pairs beautifully with the tender, caramelized fruit and crunchy walnuts.
- Serving with thick yoghurt is optional but recommended to cut through the richness and balance flavors.
- Use gorgonzola or your favorite style of blue cheese for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 176 g
- Calories: 371 kcal
- Sugar: 22.3 g
- Sodium: 343 mg
- Fat: 22.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.2 g
- Fiber: 3.9 g
- Protein: 8.2 g
- Cholesterol: 69 mg
