These Puff Pastry Pear Tartlets are a delicious, quick and easy Winter dessert recipe. Combining Puff Pastry, a homemade Pear Compote and fresh Pears slices, these Mini Pear Tarts are perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or a sweet snack!
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Why we love this recipe
These Puff Pastry Pear Tartlets are the perfect warm and comforting pastries to enjoy during the cold months. They are quick and easy to prepare with frozen puff pastry, a homemade Pear Compote filling and some thinly sliced fresh pears.
The pear slices are slightly soft but still a bit crunchy, the puff pastry is golden and flaky and the pear compote is soft and sweet. Just a perfect combination of flavours and textures!
Just like these Puff Pastry Apple Tarts and Cherry Tartlets, they make great danishes to enjoy for breakfast, morning and afternoon tea or as an every day sweet snack.
Ingredients
These Puff Pastry Pear Tartlets are made from a few simple ingredients (scroll down to recipe card for all quantities):
- Puff Pastry: I used simple pre-rolled frozen Puff Pastry Sheets that are 25x25cm (10x10 inch). You can easily adapt the size of the tartlets if your puff pastry comes in a different shape.
- Pear Compote: a delicious homemade Pear Compote Sauce used as a filling under the pears. You can use a store-bought one if preferred - or see below for substitution.
- Pears: go for pears that are between firm and ripe for the best results. You want them to still hold their shapes after baking, but also be naturally sweet and soft. See FAQs below for the best pear varieties.
- Butter, Cinnamon & Ginger: used to brush over the Pears before baking to give them a delicious spicy taste and golden colour! I used Ginger and Cinnamon but you could really use any of your favourite spices here.
- Egg: optional, used to brush over the pastry edges to give them a golden colour (egg wash).
Substitution
- Pear Compote: if you don't want to make your own Pear Compote or cannot find pre-made one, you could replace it with an Applesauce, an Apricot Jam or some Almond Cream like the one I used for these Pear Frangipane Tartlets.
- Butter: can be replaced with Margarine to make these tartlets dairy-free/vegan (if using a dairy-free/vegan friendly puff pastry), but you will loose a little bit in terms of flavours.
How to make Pear Tartlets with Puff Pastry
The first step of this pear tartlets recipe will be to make the compote Filling if you are making your own. You can find all the step by step instructions and quantities in my Pear Compote Recipe
- Prepare the Pear Compote and set aside to cool down.
- Preheat your oven on 180'C/350'F. Prepare two baking trays lined with baking paper or a baking mat (I used 2 separate trays but you can use one if you have a large enough oven).
- Photo 1: Wash the Pears, cut them in half, core them then slice into very thin strips. Set aside.
- Cut each Puff Pastry Sheets into 4 squares and place them the trays.
- Photo 2: Fold the sides of each puff pastry squares to create a small risen edge. Gently press on them to insure they stick to the bottom of the pastry.
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- Optional: blind bake the pastry for 5 to 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven. You might not need to follow this step depending on the brand of puff pastry, the baking tray you use and your oven. If in doubt, blind bake the pastry to avoid a soggy pastry.
- Photo 3: Place some Pear Compote in the centre of each puff pastry square.
- Photo 4: Arrange some Pear Slices on top of the pear compote. I laid the slices in a fish scale pattern, but you can choose any pattern you want. Try to leave the raised folded edges clear.
- Photo 5: in a small bowl, melt the Butter then mix in the Ground Cinnamon and Ginger.
- Photo 6: generously brush the melted butter and spices over the pears slices.
- Photo 7: (optional) brush the whisked egg over the edges of the pastry to give them a golden look.
- Photo 8: when all the puff pastry pear tartlets are ready, bake for about 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. I baked them in two batches.
- Leave to cool down completely, then optionally finish by dusting with icing sugar.
Recipe FAQs
It will depend on the brand of your puff pastry, the type of baking tray you use and your oven. In some cases, you won't need too if you know that the bottom of the pastry will bake even when not blind-baked on its own.
If you are not sure, blind-bake the pastry for 5 to 10 minutes, just to allow for the bottom of the pastry to bake slightly.
You will want to use a variety of pears that becomes soft when baked but still holds its shape well. I recommend using Bosc, Anjou or Concorde Pears.
Preferably, somewhere in the middle! You want a fruit that is firm enough to be easily sliced into very thin strips, but also a pear that is naturally sweet and will become softer in the oven.
I didn't because I like the look and texture it gives to those puff pastry pear tartlets, but yes you can if you prefer!
Tips for Success
- Slice the pears as thinly as possible. If the slices are too thick, then won't fully cook through in 25 minutes.
- Make sure to press on the pastry when folding the edges to make sure they stick to the bottom. If you don't stick them together, they will lift during baking (which is more an issue with look than taste though!).
- Replace the Pear Compote Filling with a homemade Applesauce or a Almond Cream for a different flavour.
- For an extra crunch, sprinkle some coarse sugar like Demerara Sugar over the puff pastry pear tartlets before baking them.
Storing & Freezing
These pear tarts are best eaten fresh and slightly warm, just out of the oven. They will last for 1 day at room temperature or 2 days in the fridge before becoming too soggy, but I recommend re-heating them slightly before serving.
These puff pastry pear tarts should not be frozen.
Made this recipe?
Let us know if you liked it by leaving a comment below, and tag us on Instagram @a.baking.journey with a photo of your creation!
Recipe
Puff Pastry Pear Tartlets
Ingredients
Pear Compote
- 2 Pears - ripe
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) Water
- 15 ml (1 tablesp.) Maple Syrup
- 1 teasp. Lemon Juice
- 1/3 teasp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1/3 teasp. Ground Ginger
Puff Pastry Pear Tartlets
- 4 small Pears
- 2 Frozen Puff Pastry sheets - 25x25cm / 10x10inch
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Pear Compote
- 45 gr (3 tablesp.) Unsalted Butter - melted
- 1/2 teasp. Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teasp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Egg - optional
Disclaimer
I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
Pear Compote
- Peel, core and cut the pears into small cubes. Place in a small saucepan with the water, maple syrup, lemon juice, gorund cinnamon and ginger. Stir to combine.2 Pears, 80 ml (1/3 cup) Water, 15 ml (1 tablesp.) Maple Syrup, 1 teasp. Lemon Juice, 1/3 teasp. Ground Cinnamon, 1/3 teasp. Ground Ginger
- Turn on medium low to medium heat and leave to cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until very soft, occasionally stirring.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender (or mash to keep it chunky). Set aside to cool down.
Puff Pastry Pear Tartlets
- Preheat your oven on 180'C/350'F and prepare two baking trays lined with baking paper or a baking mat (see note 1).
- Wash the Pears, cut them in half, core them then slice into very thin slices. Set aside.4 small Pears
- Cut each Puff Pastry Sheets into 4 squares and place them the trays. Fold the sides of each square to create an edge, pressing on them so they stick to the bottom of the pastry.2 Frozen Puff Pastry sheets
- Optional: blind bake for 5 to 10 minutes (see note 2).
- Spread some Pear Compote in the centre of each pastry square.120 ml (1/2 cup) Pear Compote
- Arrange the Pear Slices on top of the pear compote (see note 3), leaving the raised edges clear.
- In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, ground cinnamon and ginger. Generously Brush it over the pear slices.45 gr (3 tablesp.) Unsalted Butter, 1/2 teasp. Ground Ginger, 1/2 teasp. Ground Cinnamon
- Optional: brush the raised edges of puff pastry with the whisked egg to give them a golden colour.1 Egg
- Bake for about 25 minutes (I baked the two trays separately), or until puffed and golden. Leave to cool down.
- Optional: dust with some icing sugar before serving.
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Notes
- Puff Pastry: I used 25x25 cm (10x10 inch) pre-rolled Puff Pastry Sheets. You can use a different size and just adapt the shape of the tartlets too.
- Pear Compote: if you don't want to make your own, you can use a store-bought one or replace it with Applesauce or an Almond Cream.
- Pears: try to use pears that are between firm and ripe for the best taste and texture.
- Spices: I used Cinnamon and Ginger, but feel free to use/substitute/add any of your favourite spices too!
- If you have a large oven, you might only need one baking tray.
- Depending on the brand of puff pastry, your oven and type of baking tray you use, you may or may not need to blind bake the pastry. If not sure, blind-bake the pastry to avoid a soggy, unbaked bottom.
- I arranged the pears slices in a fish scale pattern, but you can create any pattern you'd like.
