Ingredients
- 1 …" cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1/2 cup firm butter or margarine
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 medium pears
- Lemon juice
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons Kirsch (optional)
- …" cup apricot jam
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and grated lemon peel. With your fingers, work in butter or margarine (cut into pieces) until mixture is crumbly and no large particles remain.
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2. With a fork stir in egg yolk until blended; work dough with your hands until it holds together. Shape into a smooth ball. Press dough evenly over bottom and sides of an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom (or use a 10" spring-form pan, pressing dough 1 1/ 4 inches up the sides).
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3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
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4. In a 4-5 quart pan over high heat, combine water, sugar, grated lemon peel and vanilla. Bring to a boil, stirring and boiling until sugar dissolves.
5
5. Cut pears in half lengthwise, peel and sprinkle with lemon juice. Remove cores. Place halves, cavity-side down, in sugar mixture; cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender when pierced (about 10 minutes). Drain well.
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6. In a small bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, then slowly blend in whipping cream. Add sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, almond extract, vanilla, and kirsch, if desired. Beat until mixture is as thick as stiffly beaten cream. Spread the filling evenly in the pastry shell.
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7. With stem ends pointing toward center, arrange pear halves, cavity-side down, on top of the cream filling; gently push pears into filling. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).
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8. Rub apricot jam through a wire strainer into a small pan; heat over low heat until melted. Let cool for 5 minutes. Lightly brush or drizzle jam over pears and filling. Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate. Before serving, remove pan rim and distribute almonds around pears.
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Note: 1 29-ounce can of pear halves can be substituted for the poached pears if desired.