Description
Delight in these elegant Caramelized Pears and Blue Cheese Tarts featuring flaky puff pastry topped with sweet, syrupy caramelized pears, tangy crumbled blue cheese, and crunchy walnuts. Perfect as a sophisticated appetizer or a unique dessert, these tarts offer a harmonious blend of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors that impress with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 1 sheet store bought frozen puff pastry, thawed (25 cm x 25 cm / 10″ x 10″)
Caramelized Pears
- 2 pears
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- Pinch of salt
Additional Ingredients
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (Gorgonzola recommended)
- 3 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pastry: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Cut the thawed puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares and transfer them to the prepared baking tray. Score a 2/3 inch (1.5 cm) border around each piece carefully to create a raised edge once baked.
- Slice Pears: Core the pears and cut each into quarters. Then slice each quarter into 3 or 4 thin slices, ready for caramelizing.
- Caramelize Pears: In a small frying pan or saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sliced pears, butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pears soften and release juices that mix with the butter and sugar to create a glossy syrup. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Egg Wash: While the pears cool, brush the scored border of each pastry square with the lightly beaten egg. This helps create a beautiful golden edge during baking.
- Assemble and Bake: Pile the caramelized pear mixture onto each pastry square, staying within the scored border. Drizzle some of the syrup over the pears to enhance sweetness. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown.
- Add Walnuts: For the last 5 minutes of baking, scatter the chopped walnuts onto the baking tray alongside the tarts so they toast lightly, adding a crunchy texture.
- Cool and Garnish: Remove the tarts from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Top each tart with crumbled blue cheese, scatter the toasted walnuts on top, and drizzle with any remaining pear syrup for extra flavor.
- Serve: Serve the tarts immediately. Optionally, accompany with a dollop of creamy yogurt on the side to balance the richness and add a refreshing contrast.
Notes
- The sweet, soft caramelized pears paired with creamy, salty blue cheese create a perfect flavor harmony that’s both sophisticated and comforting.
- Serving these tarts with thick, creamy yoghurt helps cut through the richness, but they’re delicious with or without it—feel free to choose based on your preference.
- Scoring the pastry borders helps keep the pear topping neatly contained and produces a pleasing puffed edge when baked.
- Toasting the walnuts alongside the tarts enhances their crunch and flavor, adding texture contrast.
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
