Recipe: Pear and Walnut Torte

Pear and Walnut Torte
Source: Conny Simonis

Pears and walnuts are a good combination for a light Easter dessert. The walnuts take away the very sweetness of the pears and give the Torte an elegant taste. The cream bakes into a light custard on the of the crust.

For the dough:
4 oz. butter (1/2 cube)
7 oz. flour (almost 1 cup)
4 oz. sugar
1/2 cup ground walnuts
2 egg yolks

For Filling:
1 1/2 lb. pears, skinned and pared in thin slices
10 oz. Walnut halves
1 cup milk
1 cup low fat sour cream
2 whole eggs - separated
2 oz. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Optional: 4 to 5 tbsp. cognac or brandy
(Optional) powdered sugar for garnish

Dough:
Mix first 6 dough ingredients and roll into a ball. Grease and flour 10 inch springform or flan pan with loose bottom, and press dough on bottom and up to the sides. Let cool in refrigerator until ready for baking.

Filling:
Mix sour cream and egg yolks, milk, half of the sugar into a cream, add vanilla.

Whip the 4 egg whites (two from the filling and the two from the dough) until they form peaks, add remaining sugar. Spoon this into the cream, do not beat any more, and pour into the dough lined springform or pan. Put pears on top, press lightly with a spoon.

Bake in 350F oven for 50 minutes.

Sprinkle walnuts over top and bake for another 10 minutes. Check after for doneness. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove ring from springform and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.