I got my new Cooking Light November issue magazine in the mail the other day and when I was flipping through it, I stumbled right upon this recipe for a “Hazelnut, Pear, and Blue Cheese Tart” and thought oh my, I have GOT to make that! I mean just look at this picture from the magazine:

How can you look at that and NOT want to make it. Unfortunately I don’t have a rectangular tart pan. (Hint, Hint, Christmas!!) So, I made mine into four 4 inch tartlets. Worked just great!  If you make the four tartlets instead, use only 1 pear. That is the only change to the recipe you will have to make. Otherwise follow it exactly.

These things are amazing. They blend a nutty hazelnut flavor with creamy blue cheese and sweet pears. Oh my, my. Check out mine:

Want to make these too? Here’s the recipe. 🙂

Cooking Light’s Hazelnut, Pear, and Blue Cheese Tart

(I made mine in four 4 inch tartlets, instead of the 1 large rectangle tart)

Serves 8 (If you make the 4 tartlets, half of one is a serving)

Ingredients
• 2/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted and divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• Baking spray with flour
• 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• 2 large Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (if you make the four tartlets instead, use only 1 pear)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple jelly
• 1 teaspoon water
Preparation
1. Place oven rack in the lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Place 2 tablespoons hazelnuts in a small bowl; set aside. Place remaining hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add butter, salt, and egg; process until a smooth paste forms.
3. Gently roll pie dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle, cutting dough and gently pinching seams as needed to create shape. Fit dough into a 14 x 4 1/2-inch removable-bottom metal tart pan lightly coated with baking spray. Gently press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Spread hazelnut mixture evenly over bottom of dough. Bake in lower third of oven at 375° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle blue cheese evenly over top.
4. Gently toss pears with lemon juice. Arrange pear slices on top of cheese. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove from oven. Place jelly and 1 teaspoon water in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until mixture boils. Brush top of tart with jelly mixture; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before slicing.
Deb Wise, Cooking Light
NOVEMBER 2013

As always you can come back and find this recipe here on my Pies, Cakes, and Tarts page.