Pear & Green Chile Cheesecake with Pine Nut Crust

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Pear & Green Chile Cheesecake with Pine Nut Crust

Ingredients

CRUST
1 cup raw pine nuts
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING & TOPPING
3 cups Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, diced, in juice, drained, divided
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons + 1/4 cup sour cream, divided
2 eggs
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon hot green chilis, canned or frozen, drained and coarsely chopped
5 Pacific Northwest Canned Pear slices, drained and halved lengthwise
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted, for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, or 325 degrees F for convection. Lightly butter or oil a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

To make the crust, combine pine nuts, graham cracker crumbs, flour and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse on low speed until combined. Add the melted butter and pulse briefly to bring together. Empty contents of the food processor bowl into the prepared pan and press down to distribute evenly, making sure to completely cover the bottom of the pan.

Place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.

Measure out 2 of the 3 cups of diced, drained pears and set aside. Purée the remaining cup and set aside. Place softened cream cheese in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until smooth. Add the sugar, increase speed to medium, and mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed. Add reserved pear purée and 3 tablespoons sour cream, mixing just until incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Mix until ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in 1 cup remaining diced, drained pears and 1/4 cup green chilis.

Pour the batter over the crust and place the pan on top of a large square of aluminum foil. Bring the foil up and around the edges of the pan, right up to the top, cinching in the sides slightly to hug the pan. Put the foil-wrapped pan in a roasting pan or a deep pan that’s large enough to hold the cheesecake pan. Add boiling water until it comes halfway up the side of the springform pan.

Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake 50 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set around the edges and the center is still slightly jiggly. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the water bath and place on a rack to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, cover and chill at least 4 hours.

To make the topping, purée the remaining 1 cup diced, drained pears with the remaining 1 tablespoon green chili until smooth. Stir the purée into the remaining ¼ cup sour cream.

To serve, cut into 10 slices. Garnish each piece with a sliced pear, a dollop of topping and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts.

Servings

Makes 10 Servings

Ingredients

CRUST
3 cups raw pine nuts
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
6 ounces unsalted butter, melted

FILLING & TOPPING
1 #10 can Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, diced, in juice, drained
3 pounds cream cheese, softened
2 cup granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups sour cream, divided
6 eggs
1 cup hot green chilis, canned or frozen, drained and coarsely chopped, divided
15 Pacific Northwest Canned Pear slices, drained and halved lengthwise
3/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted, for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, or 325 degrees F for convection. Lightly butter or oil three 9-inch springform pans and set aside.

For crust, combine pine nuts, graham cracker crumbs, flour and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse on low speed until combined. Add the melted butter and pulse briefly to combine. Divide contents of the food processor bowl between the prepared pans and press down to distribute evenly.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crusts are light golden brown. Cool crusts while you make the filling.

Measure out 9 cups of drained, diced pears. Set 6 cups aside, and purée remaining 3 cups. Set aside. Cream softened cream cheese with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth. Add sugar, increase to medium speed and mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed. Add reserved pear purée and 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sour cream, mixing just until incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Mix until ingredients are fully incorporated, then fold in 3 cups drained diced pears and 3/4 cup green chilis.

Pour the batter over the crust and wrap each pan with a large square of aluminum foil, well fitted at the bottom and sides. Place the foil-wrapped pans in roasting or 4-inch hotel pans and add boiling water until it comes halfway up the side of the springform pan.

Bake cheesecakes 50 minutes, or until set around the edges and centers are still slightly jiggly. Turn the oven off and leave cheesecakes inside for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from the water bath and place cheesecakes on a rack to cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

To make the topping, purée the remaining 3 cups drained pears with the remaining 1/4 cup green chilis until smooth, then stir into remaining 1 cup + 3 tablespoons sour cream.

To serve, cut each cheesecake into 10 slices. Garnish each piece with a sliced pear, a dollop of topping and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts.

Servings

Makes 30 Servings