Pears in Pastry with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 9 Tbs. butter, cut in half inch pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 to 4 Tbs. water

• 2 ripe pears

• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs. cream

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tbs. water
• 4 Tbs. butter, at room temp.
• 1/2 cup  heavy cream, at room temp.

Directions

To make the pastry measure the flour, sugar, salt into a bowl.  With two knives, a large fork, or a pastry cutter cut in the cold butter until the butter resembles oatmeal flakes.  Make a well in the middle of the flour and butter mixture.  Into it pour the egg yolk mixed with the water.  Mix loosely with a fork.  Bring the mixture together with the fingers of one hand.  When it is a shaggy, mass turn it out onto a flat surface and spread across the counter two or three times until it begins to come together.  Wrap in wax paper And chill for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the pears and trim the bottoms so they stand, leaving the stems intact.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/8 inch.  Cut the dough into two 6 1/2 inch squares and reserve the trimmings.  Cut a hole in the center of each square.  Slip a square of pastry over each pear, putting the stems through the hole.  Gather the dough in 3 or 4 folds so the dough covers the pears closely being careful not to stretch the dough especially around the hole, and tuck the dough in the cored cavities.  Cut leaf shapes from the dough trimmings and etch them with the blunt side of a knife to look like veins.  Paint the pear with the egg yolk mixed with the cream. Press on the leaves on the pears near the stem and place on a lightly buttered baking sheet.  Chill the pears for 15 to 20 minutes.  To bake, brush the pears with the egg glaze again and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

To make the caramel sauce, in a heavy deep saucepan combine the sugar with the water and cook over a low heat, stirring slowly until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase the heat to high, and cook the syrup without stirring until it is golden amber color.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and cream.  Let the sauce stand 30 minutes.  Serve the pears warm with caramel sauce. Serves 2.  MSR.