Fresh pears with prunes, caramelized onions and gruyere cheese baked in flaky puff pastry makes the perfect party appetizer. This sweet and savory treat is sure to impress your guests!
This pear puff pastry tart makes a great heavy hors d’oeuvre for a cocktail party during the holiday season, or serve it with a mixed green salad tossed in a simple vinaigrette for a light lunch. Flaky pastry filled with nutty, creamy cheese, sweet caramelized onions, plump prunes and fresh sliced pears is a fun and festive treat that will quickly become one of your favorite recipes for holiday celebrations.
Looking for more festive recipes inspired by California Grown goods? Check out this show-stopping Stuffed Cauliflower or this gorgeous winter Citrus Salad.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with California Prunes. The state of California produces 99 percent of the nation’s prunes and about 50 percent of the world’s prune crop.
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Why I love California prunes
Prunes, also known as “sweet plums” or dried plums are probably the plumpest dried fruit out there and they are incredibly nutritious and delicious! These sweet, delectable fruits pack a powerful punch of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. California prunes are great for snacking and so versatile in a variety of sweet and savory recipes. They make a great addition to a festive charcuterie board or try these Goat Cheese and Almond Stuffed Prunes for another fun appetizer idea. The idea for this recipe was inspired by fellow California Grown Creator Teri Turner’s Crunchy Grilled Cheese with Sweet & Savory Caramelized Onions.
Why you will love this recipe
- This easy pear tart looks impressive but it’s super easy to make with minimal ingredients. You don’t need any special equipment, just a rolling pin and a sheet pan.
- Caramelizing onions is a process but it’s so worth it! The onions can also be made ahead of time so that assembly is a breeze when you’re ready to put it all together.
- It makes the perfect party appetizer, brunch or light lunch.
Ingredient notes
For a complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card.
- California prunes – make sure you selected pitted prunes.
- Onions – Sweet onions or Spanish or yellow onions are best for caramelizing.
- Fresh ripe pears – Anjou pears are great for baking! Do not use canned pears, fresh fruit only.
- Gruyere cheese – goat cheese or even blue cheese work wonderfully too.
- Puff pastry – store-bought puff pastry is a great ingredient to have on hand! Make sure to thaw it before making the recipe so it’s easy to roll out.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Thinly slice the onions. Melt butter over medium heat and add the sliced onions to a large saute pan. It will look like a lot of onions but they will significantly reduce as they break down during the cooking process. Once the onions begin to sweat, season with a pinch of salt.
Step: 2 Turn the heat down to medium low and continue cooking the onions until they are golden brown and caramelized. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. If they start to look dry or brown too quickly, add a splash of water to the pan and stir. This process will take about 40 minutes.
Step 3: When the onions are almost done, soak the prunes in hot water for 10 minutes until pump and rehydrated.
Step 4: Drain the soaked prunes and finely chop.
Step 5: Add the soaked, chopped prunes to the onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well incorporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 6: Lay out a large piece of parchment paper out onto your work surface and dust with a little bit of all purpose flour. With a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle shape until it’s about double the size. Use the parchment paper to slide it onto a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 7: With a sharp knife, trace about a half inch border around the edge of the puff pastry, being careful not to cut all the way through. Make an egg wash with one beaten egg and a splash of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the outer edges with egg wash.
Step 8: Start by layering on the cheese on top of the pastry.
Step 9: Thinly cut the pears into ⅛ inch slices. Add the caramelized onion and prune mixture and use the back of a spoon to spread it out into an even layer.
Step 10: Lay the pear slices on top, it’s ok if they overlap a little bit.
Step 11: Bake at 425 degrees f for about 20 minutes until the edges are puffed and golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into even slices before serving.
Recipe tips
- Let the puff pastry thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes before rolling out.
- Don’t be afraid to add too much water to the onions while they cook down. Adding splashes of water while the onions cook down will help avoid burning and sticking to the pan.
- Caramelize the onions ahead of time! The onion and prune mixture can be made 3-4 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just let it come to room temperature before assembling.
More favorite recipes inspired by California Grown goods
Puff Pastry Pear Caramelized Onion and Prune Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry thawed
- 12 California prunes
- 2 small pears
- 2 large onions Spanish, yellow or sweet.
- 6 ounces Gruyere cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg beaten with a splash of water
- 1 pinch salt
- all purpose flour for dusting
Instructions
- Thinly slice onions and melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions to the pan and cook until they begin to sweat. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook onions until the are golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally and adding splashes of water as they get dry and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 40 minutes.
- When the onions are almost done, soak the prunes in hot water for about 10 minutes. Drain and finely chop. Add the chopped prunes to the onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes until everything is well incorporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees f.
- Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter and dust with all purpose flour. Roll out the thawed puff pastry into a rectangle about 10X15 inches or roughly double the size. With a paring knife, gently trace a half inch border around the edges, being careful not to cut through the pastry. Use the parchment paper to slide it onto a rimmed baking sheet.
- Spread an even layer of cheese inside the border of the puff pastry. Top with the caramelized onion and prune mixture and use a spoon to spread it out into an even layer.
- Thinly slice the pears and arrange on top of the cheese and onion mixture.
- Brush the edges of the tart with egg wash.
- Bake the tart at 425 degrees f for about 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and puffed.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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