Pear And Hazelnut Wontons Food

PEAR AND HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pulse hazelnuts with 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground, then add flour and pulse to combine.
• Beat together butter and remaining 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. Reduce speed to low and mix in nut mixture until just combined.
• Spread frangipane filling evenly in tart shell. Peel, halve, and core pears, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, holding slices together to keep pear shape intact. Arrange pears decoratively on filling, fanning slices slightly. Bake until pears are golden and frangipane is puffed and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Brush pears (not filling) with preserves and cool tart completely in pan on rack, then remove side of pan.

PEAR, HAZELNUT & CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/ conventional 160C/gas 3. Butter and line the base of a 20cm round cake tin. Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor until fairly fine. Add the flour and mix briefly. Add the butter and pulse until it forms crumbs. Add the sugar and eggs and mix briefly. Peel, core and chop two of the pears. Stir the pears and chocolate lightly into the cake mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Peel, core and slice the remaining pears and scatter over the top of the cake. Press down lightly and bake for 50-60 minutes, until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool on wire rack. Warm the jam and brush over the top. Serve warm or cold.

PEAR WALNUT WONTONS

Steps:

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

VACHERIN MONT D'OR WITH RIPE PEARS AND DRAGEED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• To make the drageed hazelnuts, place the sugar in a small saucepan and pour the water around the edge to moisten it completely. Bring this to a boil and then add the hazelnuts. Stir continuously until all the water is cooked away and the nuts are coated with a sugar frosting.
• Turn the heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring to re-caramelize the sugar and make them shiny. As soon as all the sugar has turned to a thin coating of caramel on the nuts, let them cool 30 seconds then dump them onto a slightly greased cool surface like a piece of marble.
• Being careful not to burn yourself, separate them into individual glazed nuts. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
• On small plates place a few slices of the French bread and pears and place a spoonful of the cheese on the plate. Scatter the hazelnuts around the plate, about 5 or 6 per serving.

PEACH MASCARPONE AND PECAN WONTONS

Steps:

• Pit the peaches and chop into small dice. In a small saucepan, cook the peaches and sugar over medium heat until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the mascarpone cheese and pecans. Keep the wonton wrappers under a moist towel to prevent drying out. Working one by one, place a heaping tablespoon of peach-mascarpone mixture in the center of the wrapper. Brush egg wash along the top two sides, and then fold into a triangle, squeezing out as much air as possible. Line the finished wontons on a plate and cover with another damp towel until ready to fry.
• In a medium-sized skillet, heat the oil until just smoking. Working in batches, fry the wontons until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the wontons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with confectioners' sugar.

PEAR AND HAZELNUT SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey and oil.
• Add the pears and watercress and toss lightly to coat.
• Serve sprinkled with the hazelnuts.

PEAR & HAZELNUT CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the hazelnuts in a food processor and whizz until finely ground. Add the flour, eggs, extra yolks, sugar, milk, cream and vanilla and whizz until you have a smooth batter.
• Halve, core and slice the pears (you can peel them first if you like, but I usually don't). Arrange the pear slices in a 26 x 33cm ceramic, cast iron or copper gratin dish, then pour in the batter. Bake for 30-35 mins, or until the batter is set in the centre, golden and slightly souffléd.
• For the topping, toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan (keep a close eye on them - they can go from toasted to burnt very quickly), then roughly chop them so you're left with a mixture of halved and more finely chopped nuts. Scatter over the clafoutis, then sieve a little icing sugar over the top. Leave to sit for 10-15 mins (the clafoutis will deflate a little). Serve warm with crème fraîche or pouring cream.

GRIDDLED PEARS WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HAZELNUT DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine the hazelnuts with the oil, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Slice each pear into six wedges.
• Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and griddle the pear wedges until slightly charred. Arrange three in a line on each plate. Tuck some watercress around the pears, then crumble over the goat's cheese. Dot over the hazelnut dressing.