Pear Melba Dumplings Food

SUGAR ENCRUSTED PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together pecans, honey and lemon peel. Use a melon baller to remove the cores from the bottom of the pears, then peel the pears. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pecan mixture into the hollow of each pear.
• Lightly roll pie crust into a 12-inch circle; cut into 4 wedges. Place 1 pear on each wedge. Brush edges of pastry with milk. Gently shape dough around pears, trimming away excess dough and pressing to seal.
• You can make ahead to this point, then cover and chill up to several hours. When ready to cook, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
• Brush pastry with milk; sprinkle all over with coarse sugar or roll pears in the coarse sugar. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes (30 minutes if completing from chilled).
• If desired, drizzle with extra honey just before serving. Serve warm.

PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Poach the pears: Combine white wine, lemon juice and peel, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean and seeds in medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the pears, lowering the heat, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until pears are tender. If necessary, turn the pears very gently by rotating the stems with your fingertips so that they cook evenly. Remove the pears to a bowl, bring the poaching liquid to rapid boil, and reduce by half. Pour the syrup over the pears and refrigerate, covered, for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• Assemble the dumplings: Roll out the pastry to a thickness of no more than 1/8 inch. Using a sharp paring knife or pastry wheel, cut dough into triangles (using the pear as a guide for the size). Cut as many leaf shapes as possible from the pastry scraps, and use the back of a paring knife to make the vein markings. Keep the pastry chilled on parchment-lined baking sheets until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Remove pears from poaching syrup and pat dry. Reduce syrup to about a cup for serving. Using a Parisian scoop, core each piece of fruit carefully, starting from the bottom to within 3/4 inch of the top; take care to leave the stem intact. Fill each fruit with some of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and dot with butter. Invert each pear onto the center of the triangle of pastry. Lightly brush edges of dough with egg wash. Bring the edges of the pastry together and pinch to seal. Garnish the dumplings as desired by pasting the leaves on with egg wash. Lightly brush each dumpling with egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place the dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to bake.
• Cover stems with a small piece of parchment-lined foil. Bake in upper third of oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of reduced syrup around the base of each pear. Serve warm.

PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. In 2-quart saucepan, combine water, the 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon candies and 1/4 teaspoon of the nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat.2. Combine remaining sugar, remaining nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.3. In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 4. Combine KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal and milk. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until dough forms ball. Divide dough evenly into 6 pieces.5. On lightly floured surface, roll each dough piece into 7-inch round. Place pear half, on each round. Sprinkle 1/6 of sugar-cinnamon mixture over each pear half. Gently pull dough up and around pear, molding dough around pear, sealing completely. Place in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Pour hot cinnamon syrup over dumplings.6. Bake at 375°F about 35 minutes or until pears are tender. Baste twice during baking, with syrup around dumplings. Serve warm or cold. VARIATIONS: * Substitute 6 medium nectarines, peeled and pitted, for pears.* Subsitute 6 small cooking apples, peeled and cored, for pears.

FLAMING PEARS MELBA

Steps:

• Place 12 pear halves, cut side down on paper towels.
• For the filling, combine cream cheese, sugar & enough reserved pear syrup to make a spreadable filling.
• Add walnuts, & stir to mix well.
• Spread 1 tablespoon of filling onto the FLAT surface of each pear.
• Press together each set of two halves to make 6 'whole' pears.
• For the sauce, in saucepan, blend cold water & cornstarch, then add thawed raspberries.
• Cook & stir until thick.
• Run cooked raspberries through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Keep warm.
• When ready to serve, preheat 1/4 cup brandy.
• Pour brandy on top of warm raspberry sauce, then ignite with LONG match.
• Immediately, & with a long-handled dipper, spoon flaming sauce over pears, & serve.