2 Red-skinned pears
50 g Unsalted butter
1/2 Lemon; pips removed
50 g Light muscovado sugar
Few drops vanilla extract
2 tb Brandy
150 ml Double cream
50 g Plain chocolate
FOR THE TOPPING
2 Sheets filo pastry
25 g Unsalted butter; melted
Icing sugar; for dusting
1 sm Tub creme fraiche
1 Heat a wok or large frying pan. Cut the pears into quarters, remove the
cores and cut each piece in half again.
2 Add the butter to the pan and once it stops sizzling, toss in the pears
and add a good squeeze of lemon juice. Cook on a high heat for 3-4 minutes,
tossing frequently.
3 Brush the pastry sheets with the melted butter and roughly scrunch each
one up to a circle about 12cm/4 1/2″ in diameter.
4 Place on a baking sheet and dust liberally with icing sugar. Bake for 6-8
minutes until golden brown.
5 Sprinkle half the sugar and the vanilla over the pears and cook until the
pears are tender and caramelised.
6 Remove the pears from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in an
ovenproof dish. Keep warm in the bottom of a warm oven.
7 Using the hot pan the pears were cooked in, swirl in the brandy, cream
and remaining sugar and cook for about two minutes, scraping up any residue
from the bottom of the pan.
8 Stir the chocolate into the cream mixture and cook until well combined,
smooth and shiny and the chocolate has melted.
9 Spoon half the pear mixture into a large dessert bowl and arrange a
scrunched filo circle on top. Drizzle around the chocolate sauce and dust
with icing sugar to serve.
Yields
2 servings