Pear and Goat Cheese Tart
(Makes a 10-inch tart)

The gently tart flavor of goat cheese, combined with the smoothness of cream cheese and crème fraiche or sour cream, makes a lovely counterpoint to roasted pears. This recipe calls for freshly ground pepper, which adds an interesting flavor. If you can find some, use Long Pepper, which is from Thailand. Its soft, spicy flavor is just wonderful in this tart. You can find it in many gourmet shops, and on the internet. See the Recipe Guidelines page for information on how to use it. I’ve included a recipe for Crème Fraiche on the Recipes page for your convenience. Homemade is much less expensive than store-bought.

For the crust:
1 cup finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers
1 cup finely ground toasted pecans (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the roasted pears:
4 medium Anjou pears
2 tablespoons sugar 

For the filling:
6 ounces mild fresh goat cheese, like Montrachet
4 ounces cream cheese (not fat-free)
1/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
2 ounces softened unsalted butter
2 eggs graded large
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably Long Pepper

For finishing:
1 tablespoon smooth, seedless jam or preserves, like black or red raspberry, apricot, or currant 

Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or a conventional oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Make the crust. Mix all of the crust ingredients in a small bowl until evenly blended. Pour into a 10-inch tart pan, pressing some of the crumb mixture against the sides, and leveling the rest of the crumb mixture on the bottom of the tart pan. Use a flat-bottom glass or dry measuring cup to press down on the crust allover the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack to cool.

Roast the pears.  Cut the pears in half lengthwise, and peel and core them. Place them cut-side down into a buttered baking dish, and sprinkle them with the sugar. Roast them in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until they are barely tender when poked with a fork. Remove them from the oven and set the baking dish on a wire rack.

Make the filling. Mix all of the ingredients at medium high speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until completely smooth, scraping the bowl halfway through. Pour the filling into the baked crust, spreading it evenly.

Slice each pear half into 1/4-inch slices, and press down on the sliced pear to fan out the slices. Use an offset icing knife to move the fanned pears halves to the tart, placing them on top of the filling in six places, and using the remaining 2 halves to fill in the empty spaces between the pear halves and in the center.

Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is firm and has just started to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack. While the tart is still warm, melt the jam in a microwave oven or on the stovetop, and carefully brush the pears with it. Let the tart cool before it is sliced.

The tart will keep, wrapped tightly and refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

Make-ahead tips: The crust can be baked two days in advance, covered tightly with foil and kept at room temperature. The filling can be mixed up to 5 days ahead, placed in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, and stored in the refrigerator. The pears can be roasted and stored in a plastic container, with a tight-fitting lid, for up to 4 days. The assembled, baked tart will keep, covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

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