Pear and Dried Cherry Tarts

5 from 6 votes

These pear and dried cherry tartlets are made with flaky pastry and a rich fruit filling with just the right sweet-tart balance.

Prep Time40

Cook Time45

Total Time1 25

Course: Desserts, Pies and Tarts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brandied cherry and pear tarts, dried cherry recipes, dried cherry tarts

Servings: servings

Place the dried cherries, brandy, water, sugar, and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Peel, halve and core the pears then cut them into ¼ to ½ inch chunks. Add them to the cherry mixture and toss well. Set the mixture aside while you prepare the tartlet pans.

Roll the dough out to about ⅙ to ⅛ inch thickness, if it is too firm from the cold refrigerator, let it sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes until it is easier to roll. Cut out 6 circles of dough about 6 inches in diameter and lay into the tartlet pans, push the dough down into the pans and cut the edges away.
Fill each tartlet with a heaping ½ cup of filling.
Slice the remaining dough into strips about ½ inch thick and lay the strips over the filling in a lattice pattern.
Place the tartlets on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up the pastry dough. Preheat the oven to 375°.
Place the tartlets in the center of the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the lattice tops are golden brown. If necessary, cover with foil to prevent over-browning.
Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from the tartlet pans.

Use firm-ripe pears: If they’re too soft, they’ll break down too much during baking and the filling can turn mushy.

Chop the pears evenly: Aim for ¼ to ½-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate.

Don’t skip the chill time: Refrigerating the assembled tartlets helps the crust hold its shape and bake up flakier.

Watch for bubbling: The filling should be actively bubbling in the center before you pull them from the oven, not just browned on top.

Bake time can vary: Smaller pans or thinner dough may bake faster, so start checking around 40 minutes.

Let them cool before removing: Give the tartlets at least 15–20 minutes so the filling sets and releases cleanly from the pans.

Brandy substitute: You can swap the brandy with additional water or apple juice if you prefer to leave it out.

Recipe adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook.