Dessert Week, Recipe One: Apple and Pear Tart

Remember those apples and pears I got from my Bountiful Basket? Well, as of this morning, I still hadn't really used them.  And I had some puff pastry in the freezer because it was on sale awhile ago and my mother in law bought some.  I thought it would be a perfect time to make a yummy apple tart--fancy dessert in half an hour!  I promise it's easy, and I am pretty sure you will love it.

Apple and Pear Tart

1 pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 granny smith apples, sliced thin
2 bartlett pears, sliced thin
1/4 c butter, melted, or 1/4 c cream
flour, for dusting
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp apple juice (just to keep things moist. you can use water, but the apple juice has good flavor)

To slice the apples and pears, I just cut the sides off the core, then lay them flat on the cutting board and slice them thin.  This way they lay flat on your puff pastry.

Mix your apples with the cinnamon, tbsp flour, sugar, nutmeg, and apple juice.  Unroll or unfold the dough onto a pastry board and dust lightly with flour.  Roll out til smooth and no creases show (should be about the same thickness).  Place dough on a baking sheet dusted lightly with flour.  Brush the dough with the melted butter or cream, and fold the edges over to create a barrier for the fruit.  Place apples and pears on tart dough, alternating apples and pears, and covering the whole tart.

Each pkg comes with 2 rolls of the dough, so you can make this twice and have enough for a party if you like.

Bake tarts at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  Drizzle with caramel sauce (I just bought the apple caramel dip stuff at the store, but you can make your own if you want) and then cut into squares and serve (best warm, but just fine cold too).You can also top with whipped cream if you like.