Pecan Dusted Puff Pastry Caramelized Pear Napoleons Recipes

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.

PEAR PECAN NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Pears: Place the pears, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon in a large saute pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the pears are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Pecan Paste: In a food processor, finely grind the pecans and granulated sugar. Place the pecan mixture in a small bowl and add the water, orange zest, and salt. Mix just until combined.
• Puff Pastry: On a lightly floured work surface, roll the piece of puff pastry into a 16-inch square. Cut into 4 rectangles, each 4 inches wide by 16 inches long. With a fork, pierce small holes all over the pastry. Place the rectangles on two baking sheets. Freeze or refrigerate until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Place a second baking sheet or an inverted wire mesh rack on top of the puff pastry to prevent it from rising as it bakes. Bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Assembly: Spread 1/3 of the pecan paste on one of the rectangles of puff pastry. Carefully layer 1/3 of the pears over the pecan paste. Layer two more pieces of pastry with the remaining pecan paste and pears in the same manner. Using a wide metal spatula, carefully stack these three pieces of pastry.
• In a small bowl mix together the sugar and the cinnamon. Dust the fourth piece of puff pastry with the cinnamon sugar and place it on top of the stacked layers of pastry.Using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, trim the edges of the napoleon so that they are even. In the same manner, cut the napoleon into 8 pieces and serve a portion on each of 8 plates.

PUMPKIN NAPOLEONS WITH SUGARED PECANS AND CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the pecans, preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Mix the sugar and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg white and water together until frothy. Toss the pecans in the egg-white mixture to coat well. Drain, then toss in the sugar mixture. Grease a baking sheet and spread the pecans on it. Bake until dry, about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Set aside.
• To make the pastry, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Pulse the pecans and sugar together in a food processor until ground. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough out on a work surface, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Brush with butter and sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons of the ground pecan mixture. Top with another sheet of phyllo, brush with butter and sprinkle with pecans. Top with a third sheet of phyllo and brush with butter.
• Trim the phyllo layers to make a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut into 16 4-by-3-inch rectangles. Divide between the baking sheets and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, butter and pecan mixture. Set the pastries aside; you'll have extra.
• To make the sauce, place the sugar in a medium saucepan and stir in the water. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Place over medium heat and cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep caramel color. Remove from heat and carefully add the cream. Return the pan to the heat and stir until all the caramel is dissolved. Set aside.
• To make the filling, combine the pumpkin, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and cream in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth and hot.
• The napoleons can be prepared ahead up to this point. Reheat the caramel sauce and the pumpkin filling. To assemble, spread the mascarpone over 8 of the pastries, using about 2 tablespoons for each. Top with another pastry and spread with about 1/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture. Top with another pastry.
• Coat 8 plates with caramel sauce. Top with the napoleons and scatter the sugared pecans around them. Serve immediately.

CARAMEL PECAN NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 lengthwise strips along fold marks. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 squares; place on baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Split each pastry square horizontally into 2 layers, making a total of 18 squares. Set aside the 9 top layers. Spoon 3 Tbsp. of the whipped topping onto each bottom layer. Drizzle evenly with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans. Cover with pastry tops; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.

BAKED PEARS ON SUGARED PUFF PASTRY WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make pastry bases:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. and lightly butter a heavy baking sheet.
• Sprinkle a work surface with granulated sugar and roll out puff pastry about 1/8 inch thick, turning once to coat both sides with sugar. Cut out 4 rectangles, each about 4 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, and transfer to baking sheet, reserving scraps for another use. Prick pastry all over with a fork and put baking sheet in freezer until pastry is chilled well, about 15 minutes.
• Lightly butter bottom of another heavy baking sheet and put directly on top of pastry rectangles to weight them while baking. Bake pastry (between 2 baking sheets) in middle of oven 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown, and transfer to a rack to cool. Pastry bases may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• Make pears and sauce:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. (if pastry bases have been made ahead) and lightly butter a small baking dish just large enough to hold 4 pear halves in one layer.
• Peel, halve, and core pears. Arrange pear halves in baking dish, cut sides up. Divide butter among pear cavities and sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar over pears. Sprinkle lemon juice over pears and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven and turn pears so that cut sides are down. Baste pears with cooking juices and return to oven. Bake pears until tender, about 15 minutes more. Transfer pears to a plate and keep warm.
• Transfer cooking juices to a small heavy saucepan. Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and boil, swirling pan, until mixture turns a deep golden caramel. Slowly add cream (caramel will bubble up) and simmer sauce, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir poire William into caramel sauce.
• Sprinkle each pastry base with confectioners' sugar and top with a pear half. Serve baked pears with caramel sauce.