Poached Pear Tartlets with Brandy Sabayon
- 4 large firm but ripe Bosc pears (about 9 ounces each), peeled, halved, cored
- 5 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg<
- 1 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed in refrigerator
- 1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- Trace outline of 1 pear half onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Cut out pear template.
- Set template aside.
- Mix 5 cups apple juice, brown sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg in heavy large saucepan.
- Cover and bring to simmer.
- Add pears and return mixture to simmer.
- Reduce heat.
- Cover and simmer slowly until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 20 minutes.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate.
- Boil poaching liquid in saucepan until reduced to generous 1 cup, about 25 minutes.
- Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place cold pastry on work surface.
- Using template as guide, cut 8 pear shapes from pastry.
- Place pastry cutouts on prepared baking sheet.
- Brush with egg glaze; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
- Bake until pastry is golden, about 15 minutes.
- Cool on baking sheet.
- Transfer 1/2 cup pear poaching liquid to large metal bowl.
- Whisk in egg yolks and 2 tablespoons brandy.
- Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water).
- Using handheld electric mixer, beat until sabayon is thick and foamy and thermometer registers 160F, about 4 minutes.
- Remove bowl from over water.
- (Pears, poaching liquid, pastries and sabayon can be prepared 1 day ahead.
- Store pastries in airtight container.
- Cover pears, poaching liquid and sabayon separately and refrigerate.
- Before serving, bring poaching liquid to room temperature.
- Rewarm sabayon in glass bowl in microwave on high for about 1 minute, whisking every 10 seconds.)
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Rewarm pastries in oven for 5 minutes.
- Place 1 pastry on each plate.
- Arrange 1 poached pear half off-center atop each pastry.
- Spoon reduced poaching liquid around pastries.
- Spoon sabayon atop pears.
apple juice, golden brown sugar, mildflavored, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, pastry, egg, sugar, egg yolks, brandy
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/poached-pear-tartlets-with-brandy-sabayon-100363 (may not work)