French Chocolate Raspberry Cheese Pear Tart

Submitted by Pat Nekola

Yield:10

Poaching Liquid:

• 3 fresh medium red pears, whole and peeled
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Pastry (pate sucree):

• 1 10 inch tart pan with loose bottom
• 2 cups flour
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• no stick baking spray
• 1 cup pie weights or uncooked navy beans

Note: I like to melt my chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you microwave chocolate chips they can burn more easily. I also use Ghirardelli chocolate chips even though they are more expensive.

Filling:

• 1-12 oz. package chocolate chips, melted
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened (1/2 package)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup slivered almonds, ground
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:

• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup raspberry seedless jam
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon, optional

Decoration:

• Whipped cream, optional
• 1 pint fresh raspberries, optional
• 1 quart French vanilla ice cream, optional

Combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan, just large enough to hold the pears. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the pears to the boiling liquid and reduce heat to a simmer. Poach the pears for about 15 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Cool the pears to room temperature in the syrup.

In a five quart mixer beat together flour, butter, eggs, sugar, almond extract, and salt until pastry forms a ball. Place the pastry in the refrigerator for one hour. On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry to fit the tart pan. Use no stick baking spray to grease the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Line the tart pan with the pastry. Line the bottom crust with foil. Place the pie weights or beans over the foil. Bake at 375 F for 6 minutes. remove the pastry from the oven and remove the foil and pie or bean weights. Bake for 2 more minutes. To make the frangipane, beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, eggs, almond extract, and almonds. Melt the chocolate chips in top of a double boiler. Add the chocolate chips and flour to the batter. Beat together until smooth and creamy. Spoon the frangipane into the pastry. Core, quarter, and thinly slice the pears into wedges. Place sliced pears evenly into a couple of circles on top of the frangipane and bake at 350 F for 55-60 minutes. In a saucepan melt butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. Slowly whisk the jam into the flour-butter mixture to form a smooth glaze. Stir in the almond extract and cinnamon last. Remove from the heat. Cool. Brush glaze onto the tart. Cool thoroughly. With a number 30 cake tube, pipe on a border of fresh whipped cream. Decorate the border with fresh raspberries or serve with French vanilla ice cream and ready whip topped with chocolate syrup and a French flag on a toothpick.