Easy Pear Tart Tatin

This pear tart tatin is not only impressive to serve, but it’s scrumptious with every bite! Large juice warm pears in a crusty puff pastry!

 

 

 

 

 

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What is Tart Tatin

According to Wikipedia there’s a story behind the tart tatin definition. 

“The tarte Tatin was created accidentally at the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, Loir-et-Cher, 169 km (105 mi) south of Paris, in the 1880s.^[1] The hotel was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin.^[2] There are conflicting stories concerning the tart’s origin, but the most common is that Stéphanie Tatin, who did most of the cooking, was overworked one day. She started to make a traditional apple pie but left the apples cooking in butter and sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven. After turning out the upside down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert. In an alternative version of the tart’s origin, Stéphanie baked a caramelized apple tart upside-down by mistake, regardless she served her guests the unusual dish.^[3] Whatever the veracity of either story, the concept of the upside down tart was not a new one. For instance, patissier Antonin Carême already mentions glazed gâteaux renversés adorned with apples from Rouen or other fruit in his Pâtissier Royal Parisien (1841).”

Pretty cool, huh?

Summer Fruit Tart Tatin

The great thing about a fruit tart tatin is that you can use whatever fruit is in season. 

These tart tatins are fabulous year round. And, focusing on the fruits in season lets you enjoy

Tart Tatin Pan

I’ve made tart tatins in different baking vessels. And, amazingly they’ve all worked fine. 

1. Cast Iron Skillet
2. Baking Pie Dish
3. Braising Pan
4. Rectangular cookie sheet pan

Try some of my other easy rustic fruit pie recipes! 

Simple Quick Apple Tart

Upside Down Peach Pie Mounds

Easy Apple Custard Tart

Southern Cinnamon Peach Pie

Puff Pastry Apple Tart Tatin

Nothing beats puff pastry. And, when you need to save time, how convenient and always perfect is puff pastry. 

For me the key is the heat and baking. Yes, you want to follow those instructions on the packaging. However, I’m usually at 400 when I have my pie chocked full of apples, and in this case pears, like these that are sliced into healthy wedges. If I see the crust getting to a golden brown and still more then 3-5 minutes on the timer, then I’ll reduce the heat to 375. I don’t want the crust getting too brown. 

Easy Pear Tart Tatin

There’s nothing complicated about this recipe. 

If you want to cut back on the coconut sugar, then do so. The pears that I used were quite naturally sweet. Next time, I’ll use less sugar! 

Pear Tart Tatin

I decided that I wanted you to recognize that these were pears in this dish. 

Instead of dicing the pears or cutting into thin slices, I decided to halve the pears then quarter them. 

What you end up with are nice big pieces that are so tender and easy to cut with a spoon or fork for each and every bite. No cutting knife needed! 

Caramelized Pear Tart Tatin

There’s definitely caramelization going on as this pear pie bakes. 

It oozes in and around the puff pastry making it a candied-like crust all around the perimeter. 

Apple and Pear Tart Tatin

Don’t think that only fruit can be used in making tart tatins. 

Savory upside down pies are absolutely fabulous. And, there’s none better than my Tomato Upside Down Tart that graced the cover of Food Network Magazine! Yes, this was quite an honor! 

Easy Pear Tart Tatin

Yield: One 10" skillet tart tatin

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Ingredients

• 1 refrigerated roll out puff pastry, about room temperature
• 4-6 pears, washed, sliced into four pieces, slice in half then slice halves in half
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar, divided
• 3 Tbl. butter, cold, salted, cut into about 8 small pieces
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Grease very well a cast iron skillet.
3. Sprinkle two tablespoons of the coconut sugar on the bottom of the skillet. Reserve one tablespoon of the coconut sugar for sprinkling the puff pastry top.
4. Place the pear pieces in the center of the skillet leaving about 1 1/2" around the perimeter open like a 'moat'. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut sugar.
5. Put the pieces of butter around/on top of the pear slices.
6. Roll out the puff pastry and place on top of the skillet. It will overlap the size the of the skillet. Fold, mold and tuck the overlapping pastry dough into the skillet perimeter area. It's going to be very 'organic' looking.
7. Use a pastry brush and coat the top of the pastry with an egg wash (white only, yolk or blend both and brush). Make a small 'x' in the center of pastry (steam can escape). Sprinkle with one tablespoon of the coconut sugar.
8. Bake in a preheated 400 oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Remove to a cooling rack. Take a butter knife and go around the perimeter of the skillet to dislodge if there's any sticking.
10. Let the tart tatin cool about 10 to 12 minutes. Put a large plate (larger than the 10" skillet) on top, then carefully and strategically, FLIP.
11. The tart tatin will be upside down revealing the beautiful carmaaelized pears! Serve immediately!

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