Pastry Chef Pradeep Dharmawardane of
Marcel's-Washington
DC
Adapted by StarChefs.com
November 2006
Yield:
5 Servings
Ingredients:
Poached Pears:
- 5 Bartlett pears
- 32 ounces Champagne
- 10 ounces sugar
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
To Assemble:
- 4 ounces marzipan
- 1 ounce dried cranberries, soaked in Brandy
- 6 ounces puff pastry
- Egg-wash, as needed
- Crème Anglaise, to serve
Method:
For the Poached Pears:
Peel the pears being careful to keep the stems on. Using a melon
baler, core the pears beginning from a ¾ inch opening on
the bottom and keeping the top intact. Stand the pears in pot
with the Champagne, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Bring to a gentle
simmer and poach until tender, about 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate
over night in the poaching liquid.
To Assemble:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the marzipan and soaked cranberries
until smooth. Remove the pears from the liquid, and stuff with
cranberry filling. Roll the puff pastry into a thin sheet and
cut ¾-inch strips. Egg-wash the strips and wrap the pear
beginning from the stem end to the bottom, overlapping the strips
on one another. Egg-wash again and bake until golden brown. Serve
warm with crème Anglaise.
