Chocolate Pear And Caramel Apple Pastries

It's hard to think of anything nicer than sitting outside on a warm spring day with a delicious slice of apple pie, but we've managed to do the impossible and created not one, but 2 recipes that are indeed better than a slice of apple pie. If you love fruit and have a bit of a sweet tooth, you'll love our take on perfectly-portioned hand pies!

1. Chocolate Pear Pastries

You'll Need:

  • 2 pears
  • 4 Lindor truffles
  • puff pastry
  • juice from ½ lemon
  • 1 whisked egg yolk for the egg wash

Here's how:

1. Cut the pears in half and remove the core using a teaspoon. Place the Lindor truffles inside the hollowed out pears.

2. Next, place the pear halves on top of the puff pastry with the side that's cut facing downward. Cut the puff pastry around the pears. Make sure there's a border around them that's about as thick as your thumb. If you want to get creative, you can cut a stalk and leaves into the pastry. 

3. Make several cuts into the pears and squeeze lemon juice over them. Brush the egg wash over the pastry border.

4. Bake the filled pears at 350°F for 20 minutes.

2. Caramel Apple Pastries

You'll Need:

  • 2 apples
  • 4 soft caramels
  • puff pastry
  • 6 fl oz water
  • 8 oz sugar
  • juice from ½ lemon
  • 1 whisked egg + 1 oz powdered sugar for the egg wash
  • 1 pretzel stick

Here's How:

1. Cut the apples in half, remove their cores using a teaspoon, and make several cuts in the skin.

2. Boil the water with the sugar and lemon juice in a pan. Cook both sides of the apple halves until they are soft.

3. Fill the hollowed out apples with caramel candies and place the drained apple halves on the puff pastry. Cut the puff pastry around the apples, leaving a border that's about as thick as your thumb. Again, you can show off your creative skills by cutting a stalk and leaves into the pastry.

4. Spread a smooth mix of egg and powdered sugar onto the apples and the pastry border. Press a pretzel stick into the dough for the "stalk."

5. Bake everything at 350°F for 20 minutes.

BONUS RECIPE: Cheesecake Apples

You'll Need:

  • 2 apples
  • melted butter
  • brown sugar
  • cinnamon

For the filling:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 2 fl oz milk
  • 1 oz powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • graham cracker crumbs

Here's how:

1. Cut off the tops of the apples and hollow them out using a spoon. Spread a mixture of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on the inside.

2. For the filling, mix the ingredients, spoon the mixture into the hollowed out apples, and sprinkle the broken up cookies on top.

3. Bake the cheesecake-filled apples at 320°F in a convection oven for 15 minutes.

It's best to enjoy these wonderfully fruity treats while they're still warm. A dollop of cream also won't do you any harm. ;-)

Comments

Also hefty