What better way to welcome fall than with a delectable pear tart? It’s simple yet classic dessert everyone will love!
One of the number one things I look forward to in the fall season are the recipes. I always anticipate a wonderful baking season. Fall flavors like, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, figs, and of course pears fill our home with the best aroma and make my heart and stomach so very happy! This pear tart has truly become a family favorite. The delicious walnut crust with sweet pears sprinkled with cinnamon is such a great fall dessert for any table. It has the creaminess of a cheese cake yet the crispness and form of a tart. Honestly, I hesitate to call it a tart, but either way our family loves this recipe and I think you will too!
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While on our weekly grocery run at Trader Joe’s last week I so thrilled to see bags of fresh Bartlett pears. They’re such a great pear to bake with. These pears just happened to be perfectly ripe and sweet. I knew right away what I was going to make. This tart loving girl knew that a pear tart would be the perfect way to say hello to fall!
Cinnamon Pear & Walnut Tart
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. Butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup Walnuts, finely chopped
Tart Filling
- 1 8 oz. pkg. Reduced-Fat cream cheese
- 12 oz. or 2 to 3 Fresh Pears - Bartlett pears work great. If fresh pears are not available you can use canned pears, drained.
- 1 Lg. Egg
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. Sugar, divided
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a food processor, pulse the butter (cut into cubes), sugar and cinnamon until crumbly. Add in the flour and chopped walnuts.
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Spray a 14 in. rectangular tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray and spread the crust in the bottom of the pan, pressing the mixer up the sides of the pan. (f you don't have a rectangular tart pan a 9 in. round pan also works.)
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Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese and 1/4 cup of sugar until completely smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture over the tart crust.
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Peel, core and slice pears (about 1/4 in. thick). Arrange the pear slices on the top of the tart in desired pattern. Mix the 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 Tbsp. of sugar together and sprinkle on top of the pears.
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Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until the tart has set. When the tart is set there should only be a slight wobble to the center.
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Cool for an hour and then refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator covered for up to a week.
The filling is incredible creamy and smooth and if you have any cheesecake lovers in your home I have a feeling that they will really enjoy this recipe.
Desserts like these never stick around long in our house. Josh and I have had a love for fruit tarts ever since our honeymoon in the Caribbean. I’m pretty sure we ate out weight in them on our cruise. That was over 12 years ago and we still can’t get enough. I’m always trying different recipes and adapting old ones but this one has stood the test of time. It’s a classic dessert that can be made year-round but I think it’s particularly special this time of the year. I’m really looking forward to sharing more of our favorite fall recipes with you over the next two months. Do you have a favorite fall recipe? I bet we have some favorites in common. Happy baking, friends!
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Thank you for such a luscious yet light dessert recipe. Cheers, Ardith
You are so welcome, Ardith! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful fall season!
This sounds amazing! If I find some good-looking pears when we shop TJ’s next week, I will absolutely be making it! Thank you for sharing. 🙂