Chocolate Pear Pastry
1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff-pastry sheets, thawed 4
ounces chopped hazelnuts (1 cup)
1/2 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies 5 ripe pears (such
as Comice or Bosc) 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons sugar
2/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 400º F. Coat 2 cookie sheets with cooking
spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet of
pastry into an 18-by-10-inch rectangle. Transfer it to a
cookie sheet. Fold over 1 1/2 inches on each of the long
sides to make a rim. Use a fork to pierce the center in 1-
inch intervals. Repeat with the remaining pastry on the
second cookie sheet. Bake both for 10 minutes. Remove to
wire racks. Reduce oven temperature to 375ºF. Combine the
hazelnuts and chocolate wafers in a food processor or
blender and pulse until they resemble sand. Peel the pears
and cut each lengthwise in half. Discard the cores and
stems. Distribute the nut crumbs along the center of each
partially baked pastry. Arrange the pears, cut-side down, on
the crumbs, alternating stem and round ends. Brush the rim
of each pastry with some egg. Sprinkle with the sugar.
Return the pastries to the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes
more or until the pears are tender when tested with a fork.
Remove and cool on wire racks. Place the chocolate chips in
a small cup and microwave 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until
smooth. Drizzle over the pastries. (This recipe can be made
up to 1 day ahead.)
Time-saver: Frozen puff pastry is easier than homemade - 5
hours easier, to be exact.
Yield: 10 servings
Real Simple, NOVEMBER 2003
---
---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =--- ---= Move UNITED
NATIONS To Paris =--- Sheldon ```````````` "Life would be
devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."