Description
This elegant Pear Tart features flaky puff pastry topped with thinly sliced, hasselback-style pears arranged over a sweetened cream cheese layer. Finished with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar and baked to golden perfection, this tart is a perfect balance of buttery crust, creamy filling, and juicy fruit, making it an ideal dessert for gatherings or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry and Fruit
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed, unfolded, and lightly rolled
- 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 and Topping
- ½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare tart pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Fit the thawed, unfolded puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square tart pan with removable sides, pressing it gently into the edges.
- Slice pears Hasselback style: Place a pear half cut-side down on a work surface. Use chopsticks or wooden spoons placed on either side as guides to thinly slice the pear lengthwise while keeping the bottom intact. Repeat this slicing with all pear halves.
- Coat pears with sugar and lemon juice: Place the sliced pears in a bowl, add the white sugar and lemon juice, and toss gently to coat. Let them sit for 5 minutes to release and absorb juices.
- Prepare cream cheese mixture: In a separate bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Spread this mixture evenly over the fitted puff pastry in the tart pan.
- Assemble the tart: Arrange the hasselbacked pears over the cream cheese layer by fanning out the slices but keeping them attached at the base. Drizzle any accumulated pear juices from the bowl over the pears for flavor and moisture.
- Add sugar topping and bake: Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the pears, then bake the tart in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the puff pastry is puffed and golden brown, and the pear juices are bubbling.
- Cool and serve: Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool briefly before slicing into 8 servings. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use pears that are ripe but still firm to hold their shape when sliced and baked.
- Chopsticks or wooden spoons alongside the pear prevent you from slicing all the way through, creating the signature hasselback effect.
- Turbinado sugar adds a nice crunchy texture and subtle molasses flavor to the top.
- You can substitute other varieties of pears if Bartlett, d’Anjou, or red pears are unavailable.
- Let the tart set a few minutes before cutting to avoid soggy slices.
