When I first saw this recipe, I thought it was a beautiful dessert. Then, I read the recipe and was shocked at how simple it sounded. I decided to try it out for myself, especially knowing how much Quinn likes pears. And, of course, how much I like cream cheese.
One little thing. The original recipe calls this a “torte.” A quick internet search told me that a torte is a cake made with very little flour. A tart, however, is a single layer pie with a sweet or savory filling. That’s more like it, so I am taking the liberty of renaming this recipe.
It did prove to be a pretty simple recipe. The only tedious part was arranging the pears, but it was actually fun to layer them because it made the tart so lovely. If I were to make it again, I would take a little different approach with the pears. I think sprinkling the pears with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar might get a bit more even distribution of seasoning. Tossing the spices with the pears was a bit tough because the sliced pears were so delicate.
The finished product is quite good. The texture is very light and smooth. The cream cheese filling itself is very light, almost custard-like. The almonds are the perfect complement to the tart. The crunch they add is just right. You should all be proud of me for going ahead with the almonds even though the recipe specifically suggested substitued pecans. It just seemed like almonds would be perfect. Of course, I mean no offense to my beloved pecan. I’m sure it will resurface here before too long.
21 responses so far ↓
1 peabody // Sep 27, 2006 at 4:27 pm
I have a bunch of pears…I think I will be making this once I feel better.
2 Ellie // Sep 28, 2006 at 4:21 am
I think this is the perfect thing to christen my brand new tart tin - good thing I spotted those beautiful beurre bosc pears at my greengrocers on the weekend!
3 Nicole // Sep 28, 2006 at 5:06 am
Another great sounding recipe Jennifer! I love coming here!
4 jenjen // Sep 28, 2006 at 8:48 am
these look wonderful, I was just looking for an almond tart recipe and this looks one I could do!
5 jennifer // Sep 28, 2006 at 9:01 am
Peabody, I hope you feel better soon!
Ellie, I didn’t remember until after I made this that I have a tart pan. Probably a good sign that I have far too many baking pans.
Nicole, thank you so much for the compliment! I adore your blog!
Jen, I think you will not be disappointed by this recipe. We really liked it.
6 Brilynn // Sep 28, 2006 at 9:22 am
I love all the pear recipes that are showing up lately, this one looks super!
7 rachel // Sep 28, 2006 at 12:58 pm
nice! i love how thinly you sliced the pears.
8 veuveclicquot // Sep 28, 2006 at 2:15 pm
yum! this looks delicious. the pear-almond combination is one of my favorites.
9 Anita // Sep 28, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Jennifer,
What a beautiful looking tart! I love the presentation!
10 Jade // Sep 28, 2006 at 11:51 pm
Do you think this recipe would work with tinned pears? Fresh pears here (in australia) aren’t very nice.
11 jennifer // Sep 28, 2006 at 11:55 pm
I think those would work, just be sure to drain them well. Canned pears are usually softer than fresh ones, so you might want to make thicker slices so they won’t disintegrate. Let me know how it works out!
12 connie // Sep 29, 2006 at 5:13 am
oh i like the look of this one!
13 Nan // Oct 3, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Well, Jennifer let me sample some of this latest creation this weekend. This is so good! It is especially good when heated a little bit. I’m glad you bake!
14 Frankie // Jan 25, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Hi Jennifer, I really like this recipe. I was wandering what can I serve it with, and at what temperature sould the tart be served at. Thanks
15 jennifer // Jan 26, 2007 at 10:11 am
Hi, Frankie! This tart is such a nice, light dessert. I think it goes well after a heavy meal. I served it from the refrigerator, but I think you could set it out for a bit before serving it.
16 Sara // Jul 24, 2007 at 11:41 am
I have made this dessert twice and my husband loves it! The first time we were supposed to bring it for a birthday party - but the dessert never made it there after we tried a piece. Also, I’ve tried it without almonds, but with almond extract in the filling and it was wonderful.
17 Jennifer R. // Sep 25, 2007 at 9:46 am
I have made this many times, and each time I do I’m surprised by how elegant a dessert you get for relatively little effort. To punch it up a bit I top it off with a dollop of whipped cream flavoured with a touch of maple syrup.
18 amanda // Feb 1, 2008 at 11:04 am
Hey, yours is purtier than the kraft pic!
19 Pamela // Feb 4, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Just one look at that luscious tart is making me salivate! Guess this will be dessert this weekend!
20 jennifer // Feb 4, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Pamela, I hope you enjoy it!
21 cream cheese tart // May 24, 2008 at 5:57 am
[...] itself is very light, almost custard-like. The almonds are the perfect complement to the tart.http://www.bakeorbreak.com/2006/09/27/almond-pear-cream-cheese-tart/Food for Thought: Do you know your salad history? - Norwich BulletinThe cheddar cheese snacks are [...]
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