Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart – A Sweet and Savory Dish!

This versatile Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart works equally well as a party appetizer or dessert! Created by combining sweet and savory ingredients, it deserves a place on your festive table this holiday season! 

This versatile Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart works equally well as a party appetizer or dessert!

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This post is part of Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) – a series of festive recipes, crafts, printables, and more on The Purple Pumpkin Blog!

Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart

The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions and ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.

Frozen puff pastry is one of the most versatile convenience items on the market. When you have a package in your freezer, you can whip up savory appetizers, elegant main dishes, or delicious buttery desserts in no time.

This recipe combines the best of both worlds with its delicious combination of sweet pears with the rich, creamy flavor of brie cheese. The puff pastry crust adds an extra flaky texture while the maple syrup provides another touch of sweetness.

As a result, the brie and puff pastry tart can be served as either a rich appetizer or a decadent dessert by playing up either the savory or sweet elements.

The Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog is filled with free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Christmas and the Winter Holidays! You can check out Create the Holidays from 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 and 2012  for tons of awesome Holiday ideas and inspiration!

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.

It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.

• Fresh Produce – Pears, Thyme
• Dairy – Brie
• Puff Pastry – you can buy this fresh or frozen – allow time for defrosting/returning to room temperature before using.
• Ground Cinnamon
• Nutmeg – use freshly grated or ground nutmeg
• Pure Maple Syrup – buy the good, 100% stuff, anything less is just made up of flavorings and corn syrup.

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Puff Pastry

One of the hero ingredients in this dish is puff pastry, so here are some more recipes using the same:

• Savory Puff Pastry Bites with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
• Baked Brie + Prosciutto Puff
• Festive Sausage Rolls

More Tart Recipes

Looking for more [sweet] tarts to make? Check these recipes out next:

• Hong Kong Egg Tarts – Chinese New Year Recipe
• Pastel de Nata – Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts
• Pumpkin & Peach Puff Pastry Tarts

How Do I Make Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart?

Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.

Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart

Michelle Ordever

This versatile Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Tart works equally well as a party appetizer or dessert!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Appetizers & Starters

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 157 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x4x

• ½ package frozen puff pastry thawed
• 1 medium pear ripe but firm, cut into thin slices
• 2 oz 55g Brie cheese, cut into thin slices with rind removed
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme stems removed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
• Open thawed puff pastry and carefully unfold, being careful not to crack it. Place puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll pastry with a floured rolling pin into a large rectangle.
  
  
  
  Cut in half with a sharp knife and carefully wrap one portion in plastic before returning to the refrigerator. (Use the remaining portion within a day for another recipe, to double this one, or to create a lid for this tart).
  
• Place the remaining rectangle on a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
  
  Tip: To create a picture frame effect as shown, cut around the perimeter of the sheet with a sharp knife about 1/2” from the outside edge, but do not cut all the way through.
• Dock (pierce) the pastry inside the cut you just made with a fork just like you would a pie crust. Place the sliced pears and brie in single layers on the interior pastry. Sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, and drizzle with maple syrup.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
• If adding a pastry lid, lay it on top and cut slits on the top to allow steam to escape.
  
  
  
  
• Create an egg wash by whisking one tablespoon of water with one egg yolk. Brush mixture over the exposed portion of the puff pastry before placing it in the oven.
• Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until the pastry “picture frame” puffs up and turns golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 

Notes

Can Brie & Pear Puff Pastry Tart Be Frozen?

You’ve got two options, depending on whether the tart is baked or unbaked.

1. Freezing Before Baking (Best Option)

• This is the method that gives the best texture.
• Assemble the tart as normal.
• Place it on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
• Once firm, wrap in baking parchment and foil, or pop into an airtight container.
• Freeze for up to 1 month.
• Bake From Frozen: Add a few extra minutes to the baking time until the pastry is fully puffed, golden, and cooked through.

This works well because puff pastry freezes beautifully before baking, and the pears/brie are both fine to freeze raw.

2. Freezing After Baking (Not Ideal, But Possible)

• You can freeze the fully baked tart, but the texture won’t be quite the same.
• Allow the tart to cool completely.
• Wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.
• Reheat: Bake from frozen at 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 until hot and crisped again (about 15–20 minutes).

The pastry may soften slightly, and the pears will be softer, but it’s still perfectly edible.

3. What NOT to Do

Don’t store it in the fridge for long periods—puff pastry goes soggy fast. If you’re not serving it within a day, freezing is the better option.

Always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Safety (USA) | Food Standards Agency (UK)

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 120mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g

Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Make It A Holiday Dinner!

You’ve made the appetizer (or dessert), but what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a holiday dinner party!

• Appetizer: Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon – Holiday Appetizer Recipe
• Soup: Chunky Vegetable Soup
• Salad: Rainbow Salad with Zesty Dressing
• Main Dish: One-Pan Lemon & Rosemary Chicken Thighs
• Side Dish: Roasted Beets and Brussels Sprouts Holiday Side Dish Recipe
• Beverage: Refreshing Peppermint Martini Cocktail with Crushed Candy Cane Rim
• Dessert: Cranberry & Chocolate Cheesecake Shots

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.

This post is part of my long-running Create the Holidays series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog. Since 2012, I’ve shared free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Christmas and the Winter Holidays. While I don’t officially run the series anymore, seasonal inspiration will still be here! Browse past Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.

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