Description
This elegant Peach Tart combines a flaky puff pastry base with a luscious cream cheese filling and beautifully sliced pears arranged in a stunning fan design. Sweetened with a touch of sugar and lemon juice, this tart bakes to golden perfection and is perfect for a delightful dessert or afternoon treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed, unfolded, and lightly rolled
Pears
- 2 Bartlett pears, halved and cored
- 2 d’Anjou pears, halved and cored
- 1 red pear, halved and cored
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- ½ lemon, juiced
Cream Cheese Filling
- ½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Puff Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Fit the thawed and lightly rolled puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square tart pan with removable sides, ensuring it covers the base and sides evenly.
- Slice Pears Hasselback Style: Place each pear half, cut-side down on a work surface. Using chopsticks as a slicing guide, thinly slice lengthwise into each pear half, leaving the bottom intact so the slices fan out like a hasselbacked effect. Repeat with all pear halves.
- Coat Pears with Sugar and Lemon: Transfer the hasselbacked pear halves into a bowl. Add white sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice, tossing gently to coat the pears evenly. Let them sit for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors and soften slightly.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Layer: In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy. Spread this mixture evenly over the puff pastry base inside the tart pan.
- Arrange Pears on Tart: Carefully place the sliced pears over the cream cheese layer, fanning the slices out decoratively. Drizzle the juices that have accumulated from the pears over the arranged fruit to add extra flavor and moisture.
- Add Turbinado Sugar and Bake: Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the top of the pears. Place the tart in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the puff pastry is puffed, golden brown, and the juices are bubbling.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool briefly to set before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature for a delicious dessert.
Notes
- Use a removable tart pan for easy slicing and serving.
- Chopsticks help achieve even, consistent slicing for the hasselback effect.
- Letting pears sit in sugar and lemon juice softens them and enhances flavor.
- The tart can be served warm or allowed to cool completely and refrigerated.
- Try substituting pears with peaches for a seasonal variation.
