Makeover Pear Cheesecake Recipes

PEAR CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease a 9 inch pie pan.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Stir well.
• Stir in butter with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pie pan and bake for 15 minutes Remove from oven.
• Beat the cream cheese with the granulated sugar, egg and vanilla until well blended Spread over the baked crust.
• Top with pear slices arranged in a decorative circular pattern and sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture.
• Return to the oven and bake an additional 30 minutes Remove from oven, cool and refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

HONEY PEAR CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Securely wrap a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square) around and under a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a bowl, combine crushed gingersnaps and sugar; stir in 4 tablespoons butter, adding more as necessary. Press onto bottom and 1-1/2 in. up sides of prepared pan., Beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually adding 2/3 cup honey, lemon juice and minced ginger root. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Fold in 1 cup chopped pears and raisins. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. hot water to larger pan. Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours. Remove from oven; remove springform from water bath. , Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan., In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining honey and pears; cook and stir until pears are tender. Stir in pecans. Top cake with pear-pecan mixture.

PEAR CHEESECAKE TART

Steps:

• For crust: combine graham crackers, almonds, cinnamon and melted butter and toss with a fork so that butter is distributed.
• Press onto bottom and sides of a 12-inch springform pan.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• For filling: Beat cream cheese with sugar and cream until light and fluffy.
• On lowest setting of mixer add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Fill crust with this batter.
• Cut each pear half once again in half (making quarters) and place decoratively over cream cheese filling.
• Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until just done.

INDIVIDUAL MINI POACHED PEAR CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine ¾ cup of the sugar with the brandy, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, star anise, cloves and 1 ½ cups of water; bring to a boil over high heat, then add the pears; lower the heat, set a plate on the pears to submerge them and simmer until tender, about 3 minutes; transfer the pears to a plate to cool; boil the liquid until reduced to a syrup, about 4 minutes; strain and let cool.
• Butter nine ½-cup ramekins and coat with sugar; trim the pears so that they're 2 inches long, then slice them ¼ inch thick; fan the slices, overlapping slightly, in the prepared ramekins and add 1 tsp of the poaching syrup to each.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy; beat in the remaining ¾ cup sugar until smooth, then beat in the mascarpone; add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time; spoon the batter into the ramekins and set them in a roasting pan; add enough hot water to the pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins; bake for about 35 minutes, or until just set; transfer to a rack to cool, then refrigerate overnight.
• Run a knife around each cheesecake and invert onto a plate; spoon a little of the reserved poaching liquid around each cheesecake and serve.