dessert · Cooking course

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Puff pastry — 500 g
• Pear (Williams) — 2 pcs
• Vegetable oil — 5 ml

Syrup

• Water — 1 L
• Cinnamon sticks — 3 pcs
• Anise — 5 pcs
• Sugar — 150 g

Williamine cream

• Milk — 500 ml, cold
• Egg yolk — 4 pcs
• Starch — 40 g
• Pear vodka — 50 ml
• Sugar — 180 g

Instructions

Pears

1. Peel the pears, halve them, leaving the stems, and core them with a melon baller.
2. Make the syrup. Pour water into a pot, add sugar, star anise, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a low simmer; add the pears.

Pastry

1. Brush a tray with oil and line with parchment.
2. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry to 5–7 mm.
3. Cut pieces in the shape of your pears. Place on the tray, prick with a fork, and bake to done in the oven.

Williamine custard

1. Pour sugar into a pot, add milk while stirring. Bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Add the pear brandy.
3. Mix the starch into cold milk separately.
4. When the milk isn’t very hot, whisk in the yolks while stirring constantly. You should get a thick, smooth custard with no lumps.
5. Set the custard aside to cool slightly.

Assembly

1. Lift the pears out of the syrup onto paper towel; let cool slightly.
2. Take the pastry out of the oven. Spoon a tablespoon of cream onto each piece.
3. Place a pear half on top (cut side down) and spoon more cream over.
4. Sprinkle with sugar.
5. Return to the oven and bake until a crust forms.
6. Serve.