cheesecake tart with lime-poached seckel pears

Pears often get short shrift to apples in fall, especially since they are ripe for such a brief period of time, bruise easily and are messy to eat. Yet they have a delicate flavor, and a pleasant, slightly grainy texture. But it’s more than that, pears are a quiet fruit that meld quite nicely with baked goods. And, though it’s sticky, having a little fruit juice run down your cheek is one of the true pleasures in life.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy pears is in this simple, tangy cheesecake with a pear rosette and lime-pear sauce.

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Cheesecake Tart with Lime-Poached Pears

A tangy and bright cheesecake tart topped with lime-poached pears and a simple pear sauce.

Recipe Type: Dessert

Makes: 8 - 10 servings

Author: Brooklyn Supper, adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• for the crust
• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs roughly 6 - 8 whole crackers
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 pinches salt
• pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• for the filling
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• for the topping
• 5 seckel pears sliced substitute Bosc if needed
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 - 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3- inch segment of vanilla bean halved
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Also preheat a rimmed baking sheet. Combine everything but the butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until the texture is consistent and gravelly. Drizzle in butter; pulse a few times. Using the flat bottom of a glass, press into a liberally buttered 9-inch tart pan evenly. Carefully set in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Next, knock crumbs out of your food processor and wipe clean. Combine all of the filling ingredients and process for 30 seconds, until mixture is smooth. Pour into chilled crust, set on preheated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set and the sides have puffed up slightly. Carefully set tart on a wire rack to cool.
3. While cheesecake bakes, prepare topping. In a medium saucepan, combine lime juice, vanilla extract, and salt, and cook over medium-high heat. Gently add pears; cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Pears will soften, but still hold their shape and a have bit of bite. Remove pears, turn heat to high and reduce remaining juices briefly, just until the liquid starts to change color. Pour syrup into a small bowl and set aside to cool.
4. When tart has cooled completely, arrange the pears into a simple rosette in the center or scatter around the tart. Serve slices with a drizzle of pear lime syrup.