Simple Pear Tart

This recipe calls for only a few ingredients, but it has a lot of flavor.  I made it the other night when Ryan and I were having a band from out of town stay at the house, and it was gone in seconds.  It's quick, easy and versatile because you can make it with almost any fruit!

Pear Tart with Almond Cream (makes about 12 pieces)

For the tart:
2-3 ripe pears (I used green Anjou pears, but any variety will do), sliced
1 package of frozen puff pastry, thawed
½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

For the cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 drops almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Lightly flour a clean, flat surface to work on. Using a rolling pin, roll the puff pastry out until it is about ½ inch thick.  The pastry should be roughly a 9 x 12 inch rectangle.  Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Using a sharp knife, gently score a 1 inch border around the pastry without cutting all the way through.  This will create the edge of the tart.

Arrange pear slices directly onto the pastry dough, along the inside of the smaller rectangle  (I alternated the pears along the tart to create a shingle-like effect).

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the pears.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top of the pastry is golden brown and the pears are soft.

Simply whip the heavy cream with the sugar, cinnamon and almond extract.  Slice the tart into desired sizes, serve with the cream and enjoy!