Caramelized Pear Tart with Honey Walnut Puff Pastry Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

For the best texture, serve this tart warm—the contrast of crisp pastry, creamy filling, and tender pears is at its peak.

If you make it ahead, reheat it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes to restore crispness. The honey drizzle is best added just before serving so it doesn’t make the pastry soggy.

When grating the white chocolate, use a box grater and work quickly to avoid melting. If the chocolate starts to soften, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes.

You can also use a vegetable peeler to make larger curls, but the grated version spreads more evenly over the tart.

Variations

• Apple and Cinnamon: Substitute apples for the pears and add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the mascarpone cream. Omit the white chocolate and drizzle with maple syrup instead of honey.
• Fig and Almond: Use fresh figs, halved, in place of pears, and sprinkle with sliced almonds instead of walnuts. Replace the honey with fig jam thinned with warm water.
• Pear and Blue Cheese: Skip the white chocolate and crumble 1/2 cup blue cheese over the tart before baking. Drizzle with honey after baking for a sweet-savory twist.
• Caramelized Onion and Pear: For a savory version, spread the pastry with caramelized onions instead of mascarpone, top with pear slices and walnuts, and omit the honey and white chocolate.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Refrigerate leftover tart in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp the pastry.

Freezer

Wrap the cooled tart tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat

Reheat slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-8 minutes until warm and crisp. Avoid microwaving, which makes the pastry soggy.

Store leftover tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pastry will soften, but it’s still delicious cold or reheated. Let leftovers cool completely, then keep them covered so they stay moist and full of flavor.

You can prepare the honey mascarpone cream and toast the walnuts up to a day ahead. Keep the cream refrigerated and bring it to room temperature before spreading.

The pears can be sliced a few hours ahead and tossed with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.

Serving ideas

Serve this tart warm, straight from the oven, for the best contrast of textures.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche would be lovely, but it’s also perfect on its own. The honey and white chocolate make it rich, so a small slice goes a long way.

For a pretty presentation, transfer the tart to a large cutting board and slice with a sharp knife. Lift each portion with a spatula, letting the layers show. The aroma of honey and toasted walnuts will fill the room as you serve.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Caramelized Pear Tart with Honey Walnut Puff Pastry

Prep 25 minCook 35 minTotal 1 hServes 8

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry (about 10x15 inches), thawed if frozen
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 ripe but firm golden pears (such as Bosc or Anjou)
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 4 oz aged sweet mascarpone white chocolate, chilled
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
• 2 tbsp rosemary blossom honey (or regular honey), for drizzling

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Core the pears and slice them into thin fans, keeping the slices attached at the stem end. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, then chop coarsely. Grate the chilled white chocolate on the large holes of a box grater to make curls; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone, honey, and heavy cream. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The mixture should hold soft peaks when the whisk is lifted.
3. Place the puff pastry sheet on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the honey mascarpone cream evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the fan-sliced pears in neat rows over the cream, then scatter the chopped walnuts over the pears. Brush the exposed pastry edges with the egg wash.
4. Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown and the pears are tender and caramelized at the edges. The egg wash should be deeply browned on the crust.
5. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Drizzle the warm rosemary blossom honey over the top, then scatter the white chocolate curls over the pears. Lift a warm flaky portion and serve immediately.

Contains: gluten, eggs, milk, tree nuts

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

480

Protein

7 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

31 g

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.