Pears En Croute with Chocolate and Hot Caramel Sauce are heavenly baked fresh bundles of puff pasty with chocolate and caramel. The aroma will drive you wild as they bake! This tasty treat is very easy to make and looks so fancy that you are sure to impress everyone you serve this pear treat to.
I adapted this recipe from the Junior League of Charlotte, North Carolina’s cookbook called Dining By Fireflies – Unexpected Pleasures of the New South.
More of Linda’s delicious Pear Recipes.
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh-squeezed
- 4 to 6 ripe (not soft) pears with stems (Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou, or Comice)
- Semisweet chocolate pieces
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 (17.4 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
- Flour
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Caramel Sauce (purchased or homemade)
- Mint leaves (for garnish)
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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In a large bowl, combine the water and lemon juice (called acidulated water).
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Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Cut tops off just above thickest part of pear; set tops aside. Cut a thin slice from bottom of each to enable pear to stand upright when served. Scoop out core, using small spoon or melon ball scooper. Do not break through bottom or sides of pears. Place the pears in the acidulated water to keep from browning until ready to fill cavities.
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When ready to fill the cavities of the pears, remove from acidulated water and carefully pat dry. Fill cavity with chocolate pieces and replace top; set aside.
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In a small bowl, beat egg white and water.
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On a lightly-floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet to a 10x13-inch rectangle. Cut 6 squares from pastry, each about 3 1/2 x 3 1/2-inches. Reserve remaining pastry.
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Place a pear in the middle of each pastry square and bring (4) four corners together. Use remaining odd pieces to fully cover the pear, exposing only the stem. Press pieces together and brush pastry with egg white/water mixture. NOTE: Pears can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 24 hours.
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Place pears on an ungreased baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees F. and bake 5 to 8 minutes longer until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
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Meanwhile, prepare chocolate glaze. Melt 4 ounces chocolate pieces over hot (not boiling) water in top of double boiler. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Transfer chocolate mixture to a clean, small heavy plastic bag.
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In a small sauce pan heat Caramel Sauce.
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To serve, spoon hot caramel sauce onto individual serving plates. Place pear on top of the caramel sauce.
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Snip a hole in one corner of plastic bag containing the chocolate glaze. Drizzle glaze over each pear and serve immediately. Garnish with mint leaves.
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Makes 6 servings.