Pear Walnut Wontons

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• 6 ounces dried pears, roughly chopped
• 1 .25 ounces walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 25 to 30 wonton wrappers
• Bowl of water, for sealing wontons
• 1/2 gallon vegetable or peanut oil, for frying

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla bean scrapings and orange liqueur.
3. Place pears in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the bowl if necessary.
4. Add the sugar syrup and pulse just until combined.
5. Transfer the pears to a bowl and stir in the walnuts.
6. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to cool completely, approximately 1 hour.
7. The filling may be made up to 1 day ahead of time.
8. Heat oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven to 360 degrees F.
9. To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth.
10. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water.
11. Place 1 teaspoon of the pear mixture in the center of the wrapper.
12. Fold over the edges, seal, and shape as desired.
13. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth.
14. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.
15. Gently place the wontons in the oil, 7 to 8 at a time.
16. Fry until golden, approximately 2 minutes.
17. Remove to a cooling rack set in a sheet pan lined with newspaper and let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

water, sugar, vanilla bean, orange liqueur, walnuts, wonton wrappers, water, peanut oil

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pear-walnut-wontons-recipe.html (may not work)