Pears in a Pastry Crust
This elegant dessert is a surefire winner: With a little planning, you’ll come to the table with your deck stacked. Showcasing stars of the fall harvest season, this easier-than-pie preparation lets the pears keep their shape when enveloped in a snug pastry crust, hiding a little surprise of pecans and maple syrup in the middle. […]
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cold, diced
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) ice water
- 3/4 cup (120 g) maple sugar
- 1/3 cup (30 g) chopped roasted pecans
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
- 6 ripe pears, Bosc or Bartlett
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
Instructions
- In a food processor, mix the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the butter forms pea-sized pieces. Add the yogurt and water. Pulse until the dough just comes together. Using your hands, form it into a short log and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
This elegant dessert is a surefire winner: With a little planning, you’ll come to the table with your deck stacked. Showcasing stars of the fall harvest season, this easier-than-pie preparation lets the pears keep their shape when enveloped in a snug pastry crust, hiding a little surprise of pecans and maple syrup in the middle. A reminder that good things come in small packages.