Golden Pear Cream Puffs Recipes

EASY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, cinnamon stick, allspice, ground pepper, apple cider, and water.
• Add pears. Cover with waxed paper to prevent discoloring. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning pears occasionally, until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove pears from liquid; transfer to large bowl.
• Raise heat to high; boil cider mixture until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon. Pour syrup over pears; refrigerate. To serve, slice off a sliver from the bottom of each pear (so it stands upright). Serve pears with lemon sorbet, if desired.

GOLDEN PEAR CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Peel and core pears, and cut into 1/2- inch pieces. Place in a steamer rack set over a pot of boiling water, and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Puree in a blender until completely smooth.
• Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in cornstarch. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium- high heat just until bubbles begin to form, about 3 minutes. Using a ladle, gradually add hot milk to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and becomes very thick, about 8 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, scrape bottom and sides of pan occasionally as mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
• Pour through a large-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add butter; stir until butter has melted. Add pear puree; stir to combine. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Put heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into pastry cream.
• Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #802). Poke a small hole in the bottom of each pastry puff with a skewer. Fill puffs with pastry cream. Arrange 4 cream puffs on each plate in a pyramid. Spoon about 4 warm caramel pear slices over each serving, and drizzle with sauce.

QUICK & EASY CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add pears, one cut side down, and cook until browned, then reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes. Turn pears to other cut side and cook 4 minutes. Add sugar and 1 tablespoon water, swirling pan to combine. Turn pears skin side down and cook until sauce is thickened slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and pinch of salt. Serve warm with ice cream.

CLASSIC CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and quickly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and transfer contents to a bowl to cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously to entirely incorporate egg after each addition.
• For the egg wash, whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
• Transfer the pate a choux to a large pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-1/2-inch rounds onto each prepared pan. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Brush tops with reserved egg wash. Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Puffs can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Transfer pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain round tip. Insert the tip into the opening of each pastry, and pipe to fill with pastry cream. Serve immediately.

PANCETTA, PEAR & PECAN PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry dough. Using a 1-3/4-in. round cookie cutter, cut dough into 24 circles. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. , Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, honey, salt and pepper until well blended. Fold in goat cheese, pancetta, pear and pecans., Halve each cooled pastry. Spoon cream cheese mixture over bottom pastry halves; cover with top halves. Serve at room temperature.