This recipe comes from my days as a cheesecake connoisseur/maker! I made this for a wedding rehearsal dinner and it was a huge hit! I really wish that I would have taken pictures back then! Please be aware that this is not a recipe you can whip up in an hour or so, be sure to plan accordingly! Totally worth the wait though!
For Sauce:
- 1 cup fresh raspberries (can use frozen, must be thawed)
- ¼ cup pear nectar
- 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
Crust:
- 1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts (or pecans)
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 3 tsp. melted butter
Filling:
- 24 oz. cream cheese, room temp
- 16 oz. sour cream, room temp
- 1 ½ c. Heavy Cream
- 1 ½ c. Milk
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 10-ounce pear, peeled, cored, chopped – 1 ½ cups
- 2/3 cup pear nectar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
- Prepare sauce: puree all ingredients in blender. Strain seeds out. Cover and refrigerate.
- Prepare Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Grind nuts and sugar in food processor till fine. Add in butter till mixture holds together. Press into bottom of pan. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Prepare filling:
- Combine pear and nectar in small saucepan. Boil over medium heat till mixture resembles chunky sauce, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Cool completely.
- Cream together cream cheese and sour cream, add in 2/3 cup pear sauce, saving remaining for future use, and vanilla. Once that is completely incorporated, gently beat in the eggs – about 30 seconds. Pour into pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes until center is set and slightly puffed. Cool on wire rack. Cover and chill overnight.
- Remove cake from pan. Place a slice on a dessert plate, spoon pear-raspberry sauce over the slices, garnish with mint leaves.
