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A golden-brown baked Layered Sweet Potato, Apple and Pear Bake topped with melted Brie cheese, toasted maple pecans, and fresh thyme sprigs in a ceramic baking dish.

Layered Sweet Potato, Apple and Pear Bake

An elegant, Mediterranean-inspired autumn side dish featuring vertically stacked layers of tender sweet potatoes, crisp apples, and juicy pears. Topped with rich melted Brie cheese, a crunchy maple pecan glaze, and fragrant fresh thyme sprigs. Perfect for holidays and dinner parties
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 42 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 265
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Layered Bake:
  • * 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
  • * 2 firm Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples cored and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
  • * 2 firm Bosc or Anjou pears cored and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
  • * 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • * 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • * 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • * 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • * 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg optional
For the Cheese Layer:
  • * 6 oz Brie cheese cut into thin wedges or slices
For the Maple Pecan Topping:
  • * 1/3 cup pecans roughly chopped
  • * 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • * 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted unsalted butter
  • * 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • * 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs kept whole

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a medium-sized rectangular ceramic baking dish with a small drizzle of olive oil.
  2. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into uniform 1/8-inch rounds. Core the apples and pears, keeping the skins on, and slice them into uniform 1/8-inch rounds.
  3. Place all the sweet potato, apple, and pear slices into a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using), tossing again to distribute evenly.
  4. Arrange the seasoned slices tightly in rows across the prepared baking dish, alternating between sweet potato, apple, and pear rounds. Pack them closely together so they stand slightly upright in an accordion-like pattern.
  5. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to trap the steam. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  6. While the base layer is baking, mix the roughly chopped pecans, pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or melted butter), and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon together in a small bowl until the nuts are fully coated.
  7. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Gently tuck the slices of Brie cheese between some of the rows of hot fruit and sweet potatoes.
  8. Spoon the maple pecan mixture evenly over the top of the entire dish. Lay the fresh thyme sprigs elegantly down the center.
  9. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the Brie cheese is beautifully melted and bubbling, the pecans are fragrantly toasted, and the edges of the fruit are caramelized. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving

Notes

* For best results, use a mandoline slicer to get completely uniform 1/8-inch slices.
* Choose firm, slightly underripe Bosc pears so they keep their exact structural shape during baking.
* Leftovers can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated beautifully in a 350°F oven.