Fall Pear and Cranberry Tart
This fall pear and cranberry tart is terrific. It is a perfect combination of sweet and tart, and it is a must-have recipe for fall baking.
This dessert is not only delicious but also gorgeous and impressive. It is the perfect end-of-summer, fall, and holiday dessert. You will be surprised at how easy it is to make. This Pear and Cranberry tart has a flaky crust with a sublime custard, sweet, soft pears, and a sprinkling of cranberries to give it tartness.
Fall Baking Warms My Heart
When the warmth of summer disappears from the air and the mornings are cool and crisp, I know that fall is coming. Southern California doesn’t have dramatic seasonal shifts, and the seasonal change from summer to fall is more subtle.
The mornings are cooler and the evenings creep in earlier, shortening the day and lengthening the darkness.
With the advent of fall, the air is filled with a chill and possibility.
Fall fruits are some of my favorites: pear, apple, cranberries, pumpkin, fig, and persimmons. They all share the trait that they are not only delicious but also beautiful. Their colors are deep and luscious, and their flavors are subtle yet distinct and individual.
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Pear and Cranberry Tart, the Essence of Fall Baking
Fall presents the opportunity for cooking and baking. The shorter days bring us inside and together for dinners around the table, with candles flickering and a fire in the fireplace gently warming the room.
I love to bake in the fall. It is cool enough outdoors to have the oven on indoors. While baking is science and chemistry (which I love), baking is also about creation. Making the pear and cranberry tart created something to share with others, which is why I love to bake.
Pears are one of my favorite fall fruits for baking. They are sweet and soft but not mushy. Their flavor is more subtle than apples’, and they soften more easily. All of this makes pears perfect for quick breads and muffins.
I don’t know about you, but cranberries are my favorite. As a young girl, my Cranberry Coffee Cake was a tradition every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love their tangy tartness. While cranberries complement the savory items on a Thanksgiving dinner table, you might struggle to balance their tartness when baking. I try to be mindful not to add too much sugar when cooking with cranberries. This recipe has nailed it!
The subtle sweetness of pears provides a perfect counterbalance to the tartness of cranberries.
How to Make a Pear and Cranberry Tart
When baking a tart, it is essential always to use tart pans with removable bottoms. The set I use comes with 11″, 9″, and two mini 4″ tart pans. I used the 11″ tart pan for this pear and cranberry tart. The set costs less than $17!
As you can see, there are very few ingredients for the tart crust!
While the dough is in the refrigerator, make the tart filling.
Ingredients for the Tart Filling
- To prevent the tart crust from shrinking as it bakes, line the crust with parchment paper and add pie weights before baking.
- Once the tart crust has been prepared and baked, fill the tart pan with the tart filling. If you are confused about whether to fill the crust before or after baking, the answer is both. For the bottom crust to be cooked through, it needs to be “pre-baked” before adding the filling and then baked to finish with the filling.
- Arrange the fruit as desired.
This design just sort of happened, and I love how it looks.
Place it in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the custard is set and does not jiggle.
And voila! Do not be intimidated by this recipe. Although it may look fancy and have several steps, with some refrigeration time in between, it is quite simple.
Fall Pear and Cranberry Tart
The cream custard, together with the pears and cranberries provides the perfet balance of just enough sweet to satisfy a sweet tooth and yet is subtle enough to have a slice alongside your morning coffee.
Ingredients
- Crust (
- this recipe is doubled for an 11" tart. For smaller, adjust the recipe as necessary)
- 16 TBL (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 TBL sugar
- 1/4 TSP pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 2 1/2 cups pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- Tart Filling
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 2 TBL sour cream
- 4 TBL all-purpose flour
- 1/4 TSP baking powder
- 1 TBL vanilla
- 1/4 TSP salt
- Fruit to Decorate Tart
- 2 to 3 pears (I used red pears) cored and sliced thinly
- 3/4 cup cranberries (fresh)
Instructions
- If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer.
- Begin by creaming butter.
- Add salt and sugar.
- Stir in half and half.
- Add flour last.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap.
- Shape into a ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- The tart dough can be made one day ahead.
While the dough is in the refrigerator, make the tart filling as follows:
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine sugar and eggs.
- Add half and half and sour cream to bowl and mix until combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt.
- Blend until combined and smooth. Use a blender if needed to create a smooth custard.
- Refrigerate until tart crust is ready to be filled.
Use an 11" tart pan with removable bottom.
Once the dough has been refrigerated for at least one hour, roll the dough out between two large sheets of plastic wrap into an 11" circle. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and invert the dough into the tart pan. Remove the second piece of plastic wrap and gently settle the dough into the pan and trim the edges. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Once the dough has been refrigerated in the tart pan for at least an hour, line the tart with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or beans. Bake for about 20 minutes until the dough is set and beginning to brown. Remove the tart from the oven and remove beans/pie weights and parchment paper. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork so that the crust will not puff. Continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Cool the crust for 10-15 minutes. Place tart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in case of seepage.
Fill the tart pan with the tart filling.
Arrange the fruit as desired.
Bake 15-20 Minutes until custard is set and does not jiggle.
Notes
I used the convection setting on my oven, your baking times may differ.
If you are new to baking or have never tried making a tart, this is a good one. It is yummy and beautiful and the perfect addition to an ordinary Wednesday night dinner, making it extraordinary.
And, as a bonus, this is an excellent companion to your morning coffee.
Fall Kitchen Favorites
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Frequently Asked Questions
A tart has only a bottom crust, which is thicker than a pie crust. A tart exposes its filling, whereas a pie has either a top crust, lattice, or dough cutouts on top of the filling.
13 Fabulous Fall Baking Recipes
The Most Amazing Pumpkin Sheet Cake – Twelve on Main
Fall Pear and Cranberry Tart – My 100 Year Old Home
Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes – Happy Happy Nester
Soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies – Paint Me Pink
Old Fashioned Apple Crumble – Sincerely, Marie
Mini Pumpkin Spice Loaves with Cream Cheese Icing – Life Is Better At Home
How To Make Pumpkin Pie From Scratch – The DIY Mommy
Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Bars – Maison De Cinq
Maple Crumble Muffins with Maple Butter Glaze – Finding Lovely
Decadent Coconut Pecan German Chocolate Pie – Grace In My Space
Apple Butter Pecan Loaf – My Sweet Savannah
Chewy Molasses Cookies – Most Lovely Things
Easy Fall Apple Tart – Inspiration For Moms
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Leslie, this recipe sounds delicious. Definitely going to give it a try. Quick question – instructions for crust say to add half & half and sour cream but sour cream is not listed in the crust ingredients. How much sour cream do you use in the crust.
Oh that is LOVELY!! I’d almost hate to eat it! (But seriously, you know that wouldn’t hold me back for long!) 😉 Thanks for the great recipe – I can’t wait to try it! Happy last day of September!
Thanks Barbara!
Wow! This sounds amazing! I can almost taste it. And, it looks so pretty.
Thank you Renae!
This sounds and looks delicious.
Can’t wait to make this!
I hope you enjoy!
Oh yum, pears & cranberries in a tart!
Would you mind sharing the cranberry coffee cake recipe too sometime? Your creativeness has gone way beyond what I would see back in the days of art classes @ your home, you are to be complimented for all your efforts, dear Leslie.🩵
It’s delicious! Thanks so very much Cindy that is so kind ☺️❤️
Can one use a store bought pie crust for this?
What is 1/2 cup of half and half? Half of what? We don’t call whatever this is by this name in Australia. You need to be aware of your posts being read by people around the world. I can never make any of the recipes you share although I would love to sometimes.
Apologies Shaz! It’s something we sell in grocery stores- it is half heavy cream, half whole milk. Please feel free to ask questions like this more often if you’re wanting to make something ☺️ I’m not always aware of what other countries have.