Pear Tart Bars with Goat Cheese Crumble

Fall bars with a shortbread crust, topped with both mashed and sliced pears, and a sweet goat cheese crumble.

Course Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 12 Bars

Calories 192kcal

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle, and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, hanging over the edges.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the melted butter, and use your hands to form it into a dough. Press the dough into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the shortbread appears dry, and the edges are starting to get golden-brown. Set aside to cool, leaving the oven on.

Set aside the sliced pears. In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped pears, water, and cinnamon and stir. Cook over medium heat, covered for 4 minutes. Then uncover, and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently and smashing the pears with a wooden spoon.
Pour the mashed pear filling over the slightly cooled shortbread crust, and spread into an even layer. Add the pear slices on top, arranging in a scalloped pattern.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and brown sugar until combined. Add the goat cheese, and use your hands to mix and then crumble into smaller pieces. Add the crumbles over the top of the sliced pears.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the crumble is lightly browned, and the pears are fork tender. Let cool to room temperature, and then slice. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Soft, ripe pears, but not over-ripe are the best to use in this recipe. I used Bartlett pears. You can also substitute soft baking apples, such as Cortland or McIntosh.
Make Ahead Tip: You can bake the entire dish up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge. These are best served chilled or at room temperature, so no reheating is needed.