I love tarts and pies because of the relatively easy assembly especially when you’re using ready made pastry. Honestly, the pastry is the most difficult part of it all. While planning the menu for my sister’s birthday high tea, I wanted to try out a sweet and savoury dish to bring the overall spread together. As I was browsing Pinterest, I came across this incredibly easy Pear Brie Tart. 

The perfect marriage of Brie and pear is a great balance of sweet and savoury. Unlike most cheeses, Brie has a subtle yet delicious flavour. Don’t fear the liberal use of cinnamon, thyme and nutmeg! It provides a tantalizing taste to this otherwise very sweet tart. 

Take Note!

• Be sure to allow the frozen puff pastry a few hours or the night before. Defrosting the puff pastry ahead of time would allow it to be more “workable” during assembly. 
• You could also substitute the Brie Cheese for Goat Cheese and Maple Syrup for Honey. I’ve made this for my niece’s birthday and it was a big hit too! 
• To add some texture to your tart, you can top it off with some crushed almonds. 

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized Pears, thinly sliced
• 4 oz. / 102g Brie Cheese, remove the rind
• 3 tsp Thyme
• 3 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 2-3 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 2 sheets of Borg’s Frozen Puff Pastry, 245mm x 245 mm
• 1 Egg for egg wash

1. Preheat the oven at 190°C. Line your rimmed baking tray with parchment/baking paper. 
2. In a bowl, mix your thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set it aside as you assemble the pastry. 
3. Place 1 layer of your puff pastry on the baking tray. Use a pastry brush to carefully brush some water on the 1st layer of puff pastry. Then, lay your 2nd layer of puff pastry on top. 
4. Use a small knife to gently cut the 4cm or 1.5inch border. The pastry would sort of look like a photo frame. Do not cut all the way through. 

Assemble your Pear Brie Tart!

5. Spread the Brie cheese all over the inner pastry (leaving the border untouched) to form a uniformed layer. 
6. Next, carefully arrange your pear slices on top of the Brie.
7. Sprinkle your mixture of thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg all over the pear slices. Be sure to spread it evenly. Then, lightly brush or gently pour a layer of maple syrup over the pears. 
8. Lastly, beat your egg and brush the borders of the tart with the egg wash.
9. You’re ready to pop your Pear Brie Tart into the oven. Bake it at 190°C for 15-20 minutes. You’ll see the border rise to form a nice tall crust for your tart. Once you see a nice golden brown crust, remove the tart from the oven. Enjoy!

Original Recipe from Celebrating the Season