Pear Cream Cheese Bars with Macadamia Nut Crust

(makes 12 bars)

For crust:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped

For filling:
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 pears, peeled, cored

For streusel topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch square or round baking pan. To make crust, cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour, ginger and cloves. Stir in macadamia nuts. Press crust mixture into bottom of the pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. To make filling, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and vanilla. Slowly add egg mixture to cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth and creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust. Arrange pears on top of cream cheese mixture.

To make streusel topping, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and coriander in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until butter is evenly distributed in the flour mixture and the mixture is crumbly. Stir in macadamia nuts. Evenly sprinkle streusel topping over the pears. Bake the bars for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow bars to cool and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting and serving.
(via: food gal)

29 October 1