It’s autumn, which means Bosc pears are back in season. For this tarte tatin, sweet juicy Bosc pears are first slowly caramelized, and then placed on a flakey and crisp pastry. This simple dessert will surely wow all your guests at the table.

Tarte tatin is basically an upside down tart where the fruit is caramelized and baked on the bottom of the pan, and the pastry is baked on top. This produces a flakey and crisp pastry, while the fruits are saucy and gooey. Apples are usually used for tarte tatin, but pears work great too because they can get soft and caramelized the same way apples do too.

Equipment:

For this recipe, I am using a medium-large skillet that’s 10 inches in diameter.

A tarte tatin is usually done in an oven safe skillet, since you need to caramelize the fruits first, and then lay a sheet of puff pastry over it and bake it in the oven. However, you can use a cake pan too, or even a cast iron. A cast iron would be my last choice because you have to keep in mind that you need to flip the pan upside down to release the tart from the pan; but if you want to train those muscles, by all means go ahead.

How to avoid a soggy crust:

Let the tart cool completely in the pan. If you flip it too soon, the juices and sauce from the fruits will fall down onto the pastry, thus resulting in a soggy pastry that’s not crisp.
When it’s time to serve, warm it at 300°F in the oven. This will help loosen the fruit from sticking to the bottom so that you can flip it more easily.

You can also cook the pears ahead of time, but be sure to keep the pears at room temperature before laying over the puff pastry sheet, or else it won’t product the same caramelized and juicy texture. That’s why it’s best to do everything in the same day (you can cook the pears in the morning, and do the puff pastry part later that day). If you’re not baking it in the oven right away, remember to not cover the fruits with the puff pastry just yet, or else the puff pastry will become soggy.

You can serve this dessert with some ice cream for a little extra treat.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

Ingredients

5 large Bosc pears

¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
½ cup (100g) sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1 box of puff pastry (weighing 397g)

Instructions

Prepare the Bosc pears by peeling the skin and slicing them in half. Discard the core by scooping it out or using a pairing knife. Cut out and discard the stem lines that run from the stem to the core. Then, cut off the end.

In a medium-large skillet that’s oven safe (mines is 10 inches in diameter), melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add in the sugar and stir to create a sandy mixture.
Distribute the sliced pears around the pan (with the insides facing up). For the center of the skillet, place the bottom half of a pear to form a flower shape. You might have to move the pears around to make them fit in the skillet.
Allow the pears to sit in the mixture over medium heat without moving them, for the sugar to caramelize (this should take around 10-15 minutes). Keep a close eye so that it doesn’t burn. It’s ready once the bottom of the pears turn golden brown. Cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Sprinkle the cinnamon and ginger over the pears and also in between them.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a large circular shape that has a diameter of 12 inches, and a thickness of 2mm. Place over the skillet and tuck in the edges around the pears.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the top of the pastry is a deep golden brown color. Then, let cool for 5 minutes to allow the caramel to stop bubbling.
Cover the skillet with a plate that’s larger than the skillet, and be brave and flip it over. Let cool for 10 minutes, and serve. Slice and enjoy!

Hello! I'm Lillie.

Pear Ginger Tarte Tatin