PUFF PASTRY

see recipe if you decide to make it yourself

Roll the dough 1/8 of an inch thick 

Punch out discs 4 inch diameter 

Keep these in freezer until needed

 PEAR COMPOTE

   - for 1kg peeled Pears (very ripe)

   -  50 gm butter

   -  1 cinnamon stick

   -  1 vanilla beans (cut in half)

   - 100 gm sugar

Add for this recipe when totally chilled   

   - 100 gm crème fraiche

Peel  Bartlett pears or Red Delicious,

Cut in halves, and core them

Cut them into ¼ inch dices

Put them in stainless pot with the other ingredients and toss them together

Tightly seal with plastic wrap (using a rubber band) and cook until the plastic bubble 2 times the size of the cooking ware, It is similar to pressure cooking and this may take no more than 15 or 20 minutes

Remove from stove and let sit still sealed

The diced apples shouldn’t fall apart

 FRANGIPANE

   - 1 lb butter (creamy)

   - 1 lb 10 X sugar

   - 1 lb blanched almond flour

   - 10 eggs (cold)

  Put the first three ingredients , butter  first.

  Cover the butter with the sugar and almond flour

  Crack the eggs over the almond flour and turn on first speed for 10 seconds, second speed for 5 seconds, third speed for 10 seconds

  Put back then onto second speed until the mix becomes fluffy until clear yellow color

  Using a pastry bag and a medium round tip, pipe some of this mix onto the quartered apples , arranged on the pie over the compote

  These are ready to be baked right away for a good 30 minutes on a perforated sheet pan (It is also possible to start on a regular baking sheet for 20 min and finish baking on a cooling rack for another 10 to 15 min)

 TOASTED ALMONDS

    - 3 lbs of blanched sliced almonds

   -  1 lb granulated sugar

   -  300 gm Orange blossom water

Toss the three ingredients together in a large bowl and split them onto two large sheet trays

Dry in convection oven at 250F for about 30 min or until they turn light golden color

It is very important to toss them  on the tray while baking and to prevent them from sticking together because of the sugar caramelizing

 PEAR SORBET

   - 1 kg 500 Cold Ripe Bartlett Pears

  - juices of 2 lemons

  - 3 oz good Pear Brandy

  - Sorbet syrup (675 gm sugar / 500 gm water / 75 gm corn syrup / 3 gm pectin )

Cut pears in halves as well as using the trimming from other pears , skin off, and core them

Quarter them and toss them with the lemon juice

Juice them quick, add the syrup (to taste), The pearr Brandy (kept in frdge) and spin in ice cream maker

 VANILLA CRÈME ANGLAISE

   - 1 Qt Milk

   - 1 cup Heavy Cream

   - 2 vanilla beans

   - 1 cinnamon stick

   - 10 to 12 yolks

   - 1 cup (225gm) sugar

   - pinch of sea salt (optional)

   - Pear Brandy (to taste)

  Bring the milk and cream to a boil a first time infusing the vanilla beans ,the cinnamon stick.

  Beating energetically using a wire whisk, combine yolks and sugar until it turn into lemon color.

  Remove the boiling liquid from the flame

  Pour some of the boiling liquid over the egg /sugar mixture, mix well and add this mixture back to the remaining boiled liquid.

  Put the pan back on the stove over medium heat .

  By using a wooden spoon,gently finish cooking the crème anglaise until thick enough to cover the back of the spoon.

  The safest way remains to use a thermometer. In this case, turn off the flame when the mixture reaches 84 C / 183 F.

  Strain immediately into a bowl over a bath of ice

TIP: by tracing a line with a finger on the cream coated spoon, we should see this line remaining still.