This is an easy and rustic pear tart that doesn’t even require a tart pan. Just roll the puff pastry and cut out in a circle with a paper plate as a guide. Score the end about 1 inch and prepare. Using store bought puff-pastry, sea salt caramel, apple sauce and apple jelly make this an easy and delicious dessert. Plate with drizzle caramel and serve along side wiped cream and you’ll get lots of compliments! I like it served with a wedge of good blue cheese, it’s quite the taste explosion!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 store-bought puff pastry sheet
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/3 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 ripe red pears
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp. apple jelly, heated in microwave to become liquefied (about 35 sec.)
  • 1 egg
  • cinnamon or powdered sugar for garnish
  • store bought whipped cream or make your own
  • Ghirardelli Sea Salt Caramel (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out puff pastry on a rimless cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place a paper plate or regular plate on top of the pastry and cut around the plate to make a large circle.

Score around the perimeter of the plate to create at least a 1 inch ”crust”. Mix the apple sauce and cinnamon. Spoon this mixture across the center circle creating a base for your tart. Do not go into the crust area.

Slice off all sides of the pears, avoiding the core. You’ll have 2 large sides and 2 smaller sides. Cut the pear, flat side down, in very thin slices. Keep the slices in order and arrange the pear slices around the pear starting on the outside with the larger slices than continue the circular pattern with the smaller slices. Make sure you cover all the pastry and overlap as needed.

Sprinkle the brown sugar atop all the pears. Beat 1 egg well in a small bowl and with a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the tart.

Bake for 30-35 min. until pastry is golden brown and puffed up. Allow to cool slightly and then brush the pears with the apple jelly that has been liquified to get a nice shiny finish. Transfer to a serving plate.

When serving, drizzle some caramel in a back and forth pattern on a dessert plate. Add a slice of the tart on top of the caramel and serve along with a side of whipped cream and a slice of good blue cheese. Serves 8.