Pears in Puff Pastry

This is incredible dessert for wintertime, best is served warm,
not too hot, at about 50°C when it goes out of the kitchen.

Classic recipe calls for apples in puff pastry, but I always feel
like it’s some kind of superior variant to Apple Strudel.
And I sure wanted to make something above it, so pears
were only the next logical step. Pick small ones, sweet.

First I prepare the filling, this time I’ve used roughly cut hazelnuts,
toasted them a bit for stronger flavor, added sugar, cardamon and
cream and boiled until the water was gone and it become fairly firm
in consistency. That smell is very dangerous . . .
Core the pears, peel them and put into cold water with couple
drops of lemon juice to prevent browning.
Fill with hazelnut mixture and roll in sugar, mixed with touch of
cinnamon.
Puff pastry – store bought or your own – your call -
just roll it out thin, and wrap each pear into square piece.
Brush with egg and bake 25 minutes, until golden.

Serve with nice scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, or, in this case-
spicy apple puree.
I’ve cooked apples in simple syrup for couple minutes, cooled and
mixed, added two drops of above pictured liquid fire and wow -
what a contrasty taste to the pear!
Beware, it’s a very dense dessert, but for a long night, with glass of sherry . . .