Pear Puff Pastry (Printable)
Flaky puff pastry topped with cinnamon-sweet pears and apricot glaze for a simple, elegant dessert.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pear Filling
01 - 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Pastry
05 - 1 sheet (8.8 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
→ Assembly and Glaze
06 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
07 - 2 tablespoons apricot jam
08 - 1 tablespoon water
09 - All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, gently toss the sliced pears with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and ground cinnamon until evenly coated. Set aside to macerate.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to smooth any seams. Cut into 6 equal rectangles.
04 - Arrange several pear slices in the center of each pastry rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
05 - Fold the edges of each pastry rectangle slightly over the pear filling to create a raised rim.
06 - Brush the exposed pastry edges generously with the beaten egg to ensure a glossy, golden finish after baking.
07 - Transfer the assembled pastries to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown and the pears are tender.
08 - While the pastries bake, combine the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the mixture becomes smooth and liquid. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if desired for a clearer glaze.
09 - Remove the pastries from the oven and, while still warm, brush the pear tops with the warm apricot glaze. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Best served warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Puff pastry does all the heavy lifting, so you look like you spent hours when you barely spent twenty minutes.
- The apricot glaze makes everything shimmer like something from a bakery window.
02 -
- Do not skip thawing the puff pastry in the fridge, because attempting to unfold it while still frozen will crack the dough and ruin the layers.
- Underripe pears will not soften enough during baking, so choose fruit that yields slightly when pressed near the stem.
03 -
- Strain the apricot glaze through a fine mesh sieve for the most professional looking finish.
- Dust your rolling pin as well as the surface, because sticky dough fights back and tears.