Pear & Chocolate Strudels

One of my favorite all time combinations is sort of an uncommon one, it is Pear and Chocolate! This stems from my time studying abroad in Florence Italy . There was a restaurant I frequented there that made the most insanely rich, decadent and delicious Poached Pear and Chocolate Ganache Cake…I will forever dream about it. Then years later my now husband, then boyfriend, moved to Hoboken, NJ and there is a bakery there called The Old German Bakery. They make a pear and chocolate filled pastry that also made all my dreams come true. Long story short I had a bunch of ripe pears that I couldn’t eat fast enough so I decided it was time, time I created my own Pear and Chocolate dessert. here you have it folks, a super easy and incredibly delicious dessert, or breakfast that uses stir bought puff pastry..yes you can cheat here and I suggest you do ! Homemade puff pastry is way too time consuming an the frozen products are excellent. The pear compote is so easy to execute and is great even on its own on top of ice cream. When this pastry bakes the chocolate gets perfectly melty and the pastry crisps up and the air fills with the perfect scent of warm spices, browning butter and sweet, floral pear. Absolute heaven… now go make it!

Serves 4

Ingredients-

• 1 Sheet of Frozen Puff Pastry Dough (thawed but still cold)

• 3-4 Large Ripe Pears (you want them ripe and sweet but not overly soft and mushy)

• 1.5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (Freshly Squeezed)

• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

• Dash of Ground Nutmeg

• 1/3 Cup Dark Brown sugar

• 1.5 tablespoons Corn Starch

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste ( or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)

• Roughly 3-4 oz of Semi Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate (I use the Bakers brand Semi-Sweet chocolate bar from the baking isle or Ghiardelli Bittersweet chips) Chop it up into small chunks or use just use chips.

• Egg Wash (1 Egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon or Milk or Water)

• Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado Sugar) (Optional)

Steps-

1. Core, peel and dice the pears into 1/2 inch chunks and toss the chunks in the lemon juice.

2. Heat nonstick skillet on medium heat and add the pears. Sautee for about 5-7 minutes or until the pears begin to release their juices and soften but there are still some chunks.

3. Mix in separate bowl the cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla and corn starch.

4. Add the sugar mixture to the pears in the pan and cook on medium/low heat for about 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

5. Allow the pear mixture to cool at room temperature or you can chill it covered in the fridge.

6. Preheat the oven to 400F.

7. Cut your thawed puff pastry into 4 equal rectangles.

8. Scoop about 3 Tablespoons of the filling on one side of each rectangle (longways) and then sprinkle on some chocolate chunks. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of the dough. Carefully fold over the unfilled side of dough and seal the edges by pressing down with your fingers on the perimeter of the pastry and then use the tines of a fork to seal the edges just as you'd seal a piecrust.

9. Repeat for all 4 rectangles of puff pastry.

10. Brush the tops of the pastries gently with the egg wash and then use a sharp paring knife to make 4 small diagonal slits on the tops of the pastry. This will help the pastry cook properly. Sprinkle the tops with a little sprinkling of "Sugar in the Raw.

11. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the top and bottom.

12. Allow to cool slightly and then enjoy!