Pear and Cheese Tart

My all-time favourite dessert is my mums Apple Cheese Tort, a treat I ask her to make for me every year on my birthday (a week today!!).  The dessert is the perfect balance of textures and flavours, and is unlike any other dessert I have had.  A few days ago I was looking up pear recipes when I came across a recipe for Almond Pear Cream Cheese Tort from Kraft Foods.  I read the recipe and immediately copied it into my bookmarked pages as it is just like my mums Apple Cheese Tort, but with pears instead of apples!  Clearly I had to make it!  I adjusted the recipe slightly, choosing to make it with fresh bakers cheese instead of cream cheese, and use puff pastry for the crust, to make the tart more of a large danish-type dessert.  The final product turned out great!  The bakers cheese had just the right texture to give the tart the danish feel I was hoping for, and the puff pastry made it nice and light (allowing me to go back for seconds!).  This is a recipe that is sure to become one of your favourites as well!

Tip: If you are unable to find bakers cheese, you may substitute with cream cheese, but omit the 4 tbsp butter or margarine. 

Ingredients:

1 cup bakers cheese

4 tbsp butter or margarine

1/3 + 1/3 cup cup sugar (separated)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 fresh pears, peeled, seeded, and sliced

1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp cinnamon (separated)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, beat bakers cheese with butter or margarine and 1/3 cup sugar until well blended.

2.  Add the egg, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon and mix well.  Set aside

3.  In a medium bowl, gently stir the pears with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.  Set aside.

4.  Unroll the puff pastry dough onto a large cookie sheet and slightly stretch.

5.  Spread the cheese mixture evenly over pastry leaving about a 1 inch border around the patry.

6.  Layer the pear sliced on top, with the sliced facing the same direction.  

7.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds and add a dusting of cinnamon (optional).

8.  Bake at 375º for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is set and almonds and pastry are golden.