How To: Make a pear and walnut Tartin dessert with puff pastry

Enjoy the sweet and satisfying taste of pears mixed with walnuts in a dessert designed (unintentionally) by Stéphanie Tatin. Her accidental classic, Tarte Tatin is revitalized with this Holiday Kitchen upside-down cake recipe, where pears take the place of apples, and puff pastry makes all of the kitchen work easier! You can't pass this dessert up!

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
8 tbsp sugar
6 firm, ripe medium D'Anjou pears, peeled, halved and cored
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
Dash salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut up
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
flour for rolling

Thaw: 40 minutes
Prep: 40 minutes
Bake: 40 minutes
Cool: 5 minutes
Makes: 10 servings

Instructions:

1. Take out a package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets and remove one from the box. Let it thaw on the counter for 40 minutes - or overnight in the fridge. Return the second to the freezer.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

3. Stir the cinnamon and sugar together.

4. Place the pear halves into a large bowl, and toss with the lemon juice. Add the cinnamon-sugar and toss.

5. Lightly flour your surface and unfold one pastry sheet.

6. Invert a 10-inch heavy, oven safe skillet over the pastry sheet and using it as a template, trim the excess pastry to make a rough circle. Prick the pastry circle thoroughly with a fork. Place the pastry circle onto a plate and refrigerate.

7. Heat the 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat and pour 2 tablespoons of water in the center of the skillet. Add 6 tablespoons of sugar to the water and cook for 7 minutes or until the sugar is a deep amber color. Do not stir.

* Get the rest of the recipe instructions here.