Pear, Goat Cheese & Nut Crumble Tower

[bluekale]

Pear, Goat Cheese & Nut Crumble Tower

Serves 12 as Dessert.

This recipe is tricky only in trying to judge the quantities of each of the four components. If you don't have ring molds, try napkin holders or cookie cutters. Forgive me for cheating on the cake recipe.

• 
  

Glazed Pears

• 3 pears
  
• 4 T pear liqueur
  
• 2 T butter
  

Goat Cheese

• 1 pkg goat cheese, no herbs
  

Sponge Cake

• 1/4 chiffon cake recipe, with pear liqueur in place of water
  

Nut Crumb Crust

• 2 c pistachios, walnuts or a mix of the two
  
• 4 T butter (1/2 stick), soft
  
• 3 T brown sugar
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  

Miscellaneous Equipment

• 12 ring molds
  
• 1 food processor
  
• 2 large cast-iron pans
  
• 1 nonstick baking pan or sheet tray
  

All the parts are baked in a 325° oven, which allows them to be done simultaneously.

Glazed Pears

Melt the butter in a cast-iron pan, making sure it covers the bottom. Pour out the excess butter into a bowl and combine with the pear liqueur. Cut the pears vertically on opposite sides, so that each pear yields two large pieces. Use the ring molds to cut a cylinder from the thickest section of each piece, and slice each cylinder into 4 discs. You should now have 24 discs. Brush each disk with the butter-liqueur mixture and bake in the cast-iron pan at 325° for a few minutes, then flip the discs over and bake a few more minutes. The discs should end up translucent, but not too soft that they break apart.

Sponge Cake

Prepare 1/4 recipe of your favorite sponge or chiffon cake, replacing any water in the recipe with pear liqueur. Pour a layer 1/8-1/4" thick on a nonstick pan or sheet tray, and bake at 325° for 10-15 minutes. Cut discs of the cake, which will now be about 1/2" thick, with the ring molds.

Nut Crumb Crust

Process the nuts in the food processor until very fine. Add the butter, sugar and salt and process to combine. Layer in a cast-iron pan about 1/4" thick, and bake at 325° until crisp but not burnt.

Putting It All Together

Take a ring mold and cut down on the crumb crust. Transfer carefully to a plate, keeping the crust in the mold. Layer on top of the crust in the mold: 1 pear disc, 1/8-1/4" goat cheese, 1 cake disc, 1/8-1/4" goat cheese, 1 pear disc, and finally a crust disc on top. Remove the mold and enjoy.

For garnish, I would serve either a pear caramel sauce, some homemade vanilla ice cream made with pear liqueur, or simply a few pear slices from the parts of the pear that you didn't use.

Keywords: Dessert

( RG1142 )