Caramel Pear Cheesecake Dessert

I made this decadent dessert for our neighbors.  needless to say, they loved it.

Caramel Pear Cheesecake Trifle

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

5 Bartlett pears ( large, slightly underripe); peeled, cored

and diced

1 cup vanilla bean and Fleur de Sel Caramel sauce
(recipe is below)

1 tsp gelatin ( unfavored powdered)

16 ozs  cream cheese- room temperature

3 cups heavy cream

8 ozs gingersnap cookies

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the diced pears. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce, cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender, 5 minutes. Scrape the pears onto a plate and refrigerate until cool.
   
   
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of water. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Microwave at high power for 5 seconds, just until the gelatin is melted. Transfer the gelatin mixture to a bowl and add the cream cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup of caramel sauce. Using an electric mixer, beat at medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
   
   
3.  In another bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups of the cream until firm peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture
   
   
4.   Spoon one-fourth of the mousse into a medium trifle bowl. Top with one-fourth of the gingersnaps and one-fourth of the pears. Repeat the layering, ending with a layer of pears. Cover and refrigerate overnight.  

5.   In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream until soft peaks form. Dollop the cream over the trifle and garnish with crushed gingersnaps. 

Vanilla Bean and Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce 

1. 2 cups sugar
2. 1/2 cup water
3. 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
4. 1 cup heavy cream
5. 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel

1. Put the sugar in a large saucepan and pour the water all around. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Using a wet pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the side of the pan. Cook without stirring until a deep-amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Gently swirl the pan to color the caramel evenly.
   
   
   
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. When the bubbling subsides, bring the sauce to a boil and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the hardened caramel is dissolved. Discard the vanilla bean. Stir in the fleur de sel and let cool.

3 Berry Trifle

Another favorite is the 3 Berry Trifle
This recipe is from Martha Stewart
and you can find it here
Instead of cranberries, I used a bag of: three kinds of berries.
I purchased the bag at Costco
Blackberries, blueberries and strawberries.
You can use pound cake, angel food cake or yellow cake. 

Your family and guests will love these desserts.  They serve around 12 people each.

Merry Christmas everyone!
We are wishing you all  the best for this season. May the new year be prosperous, healthy and full of blessings.

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About Linda @ Life and Linda

Hello, welcome to LifeandLinda. I am from Northern California. I enjoy blogging, Designing Blogs, Decorating, cooking, entertaining, gardening and clogging. I hope you enjoy your visit.