I bet you though that pears are a fall fruit, didn’t you? But in California pear harvesting begins in early to mid July. In an effort to take advantage of this, I think we need to do more with pears in the summer!
The first pears were brought west during the Gold Rush. Pear trees can be productive, or fruitful (pun intended) for almost 100 years. So chances are, your California pears are coming from generations old, family orchards. You know I love that kind of sourcing.
It’s hot, so this recipe is quick, easy, and can be baked in the morning and served as a breakfast. Or you can serve it cool in the evening. And we are cheating here. We are going to use frozen puff pasty this time. I won’t tell if you won’t.
Pear Galette for California Grown
Equipment
- standing mixer
Ingredients
- 4-6 Bartlett pears thinly sliced
- 1-2 Bosc pears thinly sliced
- 1 package full fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 Tbls. ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 Tbls. fresh lemon zest
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
- 1/3 cup apricot jam combined with 1-2 tsp water
- 1 package frozen puff pastry
- 1/3 cup honey roasted almonds chopped
Instructions
- Method:
- Lay your puff pastry out on a cookie sheet over parchment paper and allow it to warm up until it can be worked with. I used 9, 5’“x5” sheets pressed together along the edges by hand making a single square that was 15”x15” total.
- In a standing mixer, fitted with a paddle, whip your cream cheese and sugar together on slow. Once combined, add in egg yolks. Then add ricotta, salt, vanilla, corn starch and lemon zest.
- Spread your cheese mixture in the center of your pastry. Don’t go to the edges because you are going to fold the pastry over. I spread about a 9” circle of cheese mixture in the center of my pastry square.
- Next, slice your pears thinly and arrange them over your cream cheese mixture. You can lay them in overlapping lines, or in a circle. Get creative!
- Set your oven to preheat at 375 degrees.
- Combine apricot jam with a little water to thin it out, and brush it across the top of your pears. Fold your pastry edges up to create a circular crusted edge.
- Whip a room temp egg by hand and brush it over your pastry edges.
This recipe was developed in partnership with California Grown.
You may also like this Easy Pear Crips from Cheryl at Bakes by Brown Sugar
This Bartlett Pear Martini from California Grown is another fun way to enjoy pears.
