Blue Cheese Pear Tarts

Blue Cheese Pear Tarts
8 ounces (1 cup) Bayley Hazen Blue cheese, if available, or other soft blue cheese
1/2 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salt to taste
2 eggs
3 tablespoons flour
6 pre-baked tartlet shells (can be bought frozen; bake and cool before filling)
3 pears, poached and sliced in half (see note)Heat oven to 325 degrees.Cream blue cheese and mascarpone in mixer equipped with paddle until smooth. Add sugar, zest, vanilla, salt and eggs. Add flour; mix until smooth and blended. Divide filling between tart shells. Top with pear half. If desired, sprinkle a little sugar on top of tart. Bake until golden and filling is slightly puffed, about 8 minutes.Serves six.Cook's note: Poach pears in white wine syrup, made with 2 cups Chardonnay, 1 cup water, 3 cups sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring liquids to boil, reduce to simmer and submerge pears completely; poach until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.New England Culinary Institute