Kitchen Adventures; Pear & Goat Cheese Tart

I've been entering a lot of giveaways lately. What can I say, I like free stuff. :)

Since it seems like quite a few people enter these things, I am not surprised at all when I don't win. It also makes it extra exciting if I do win. So, when I got an email from Sommer of A Spicy Perspective that I had won her Harry & David giveaway, I got pretty dang excited, followed by a twinge of worry. What was I going to do with all those pears?

That lasted all of 5 seconds. I decided I would make a tart before the basket even showed up on my doorstep.

I love tarts. I love pears. I love cheese. It was going to happen and there was no way around it.

Google, my cookbooks, and my favorite blogs were inspiring, but none of them had the perfect recipe.

I did some mishmoshing. A little Emeril with some America's Test Kitchen, a little from someone I'd  never heard of, and some inspiration from inside my pantry.

A good crust is important. Mine has a lot of butter, and needs to be chilled in a disc shape before you can get crazy with your rolling pin.

Also, the hedgehog says hi.

While it chills, prep your cheesy filling and yummy pears.

Cheesy filling: goat cheese, confectioners sugar, amaretto.

Yummy pears: pears, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon

Chop chop chop, in a bowl, all mixed up.

Ok, now you can roll out your dough.

And put it in your super awesome tart pan.

Trim off the extra dough. Save it for later and fill it with some leftover pear.

Then pour in your cheesy filling. There is not very much, but there does not need to be very much.

Spread it all out and start adding your pears.

Bake.

Eat.

To make it yourself...

Preheat oven to 400 F, grease a tart pan, set aside.

Crust:
1 stick butter
1 1/4 c flour
A pinch of salt (I like my old timey measuring system)
3 tbsp. ice water
1/2 tsp. sugar

Combine ingredients in the food processor, process until they form a ball. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Goat Cheese Filling:
4 oz. soft goat cheese
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. amaretto

Combine in a medium bowl with a whisk or handmixer until smooth.

Pears:
3 medium pears, sliced
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice

Combine in a bowl and gently mix until pears are evenly coated.

Roll out the dough and lay it out in the tart pan. Trim off the excess with a knife or kitchen scissors.

Spread the cheese evenly in the bottom of the tart pan. Then add your pear slices, and bake at 400 F for 45 minutes.

Eat.