Peaches and Cream Upside Down Tarts

In summer, I generally have a few summer bucket list items to check off and one of them is to eat as many ripe, juicy peaches as possible. While I am no stranger to eating one whole while standing over the sink with the juice dripping down my arms, I also love to tuck them into easy desserts and salads and more. These simple Upside Down Tarts are one of my favorite ways to use them. Like magic, they’re formed upside down (with just five ingredients!) and when flipped over look like something out of a bakery window. So simple, so stunning, and perfect for summer.

• Ripe peaches. (The riper the better — you want maximum sweetness and juice here!)
• Demerara sugar. (This is what creates that gorgeous caramelized layer under the peaches.)
• Cinnamon.
• Cream cheese, but make sure it’s cold. (It helps it not melt all over.)
• And a sheet of puff pastry.

And an egg, for the egg wash. (Which I guess counts as six ingredients.)

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 ripe peaches
• 1/4 cup Demerara sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 4 oz cream cheese, chilled
• 1 egg
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment with nonstick spray.
2. If desired, peel peaches. Thinly slice the peaches.
3. Gently unroll puff pastry, then slice into 6 even rectangles.
4. On your prepared baking sheet, sprinkle a bit of the Demerara sugar in 6 places about the same size as the puff pastry rectangles. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
5. Line peach slices over the sugar/cinnamon. Slice the cream cheese, then top peaches with a couple of slices.
6. Lay a puff pastry rectangle over the top and gently press down.
7. Beat the egg, then brush the top of the puff pastry with it.
8. Bake until tops are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Enjoy!