Jelly-Filled Pears in Puff Pastry with Caramel Sauce

These jelly-filled pears in puff pastry are the dessert course from a fancy prix fixe menu rebuilt at home. Each whole Bartlett pear gets cored from the top, filled with a teaspoon of ruby-red currant jelly, then wrapped completely in puff pastry with the stem poking through like a small chimney. Baked until golden, placed in a pool of Calvados-laced caramel sauce, the presentation does all the heavy work on the plate.

The real secret is the caramel. Sugar and water cook down slowly to a deep amber color (that’s the Maillard note you want, not pale gold), then cold cream goes in and the whole mixture bubbles up violently before settling into a silky sauce. A splash of Calvados, the French apple brandy from Normandy, adds an orchard-fruit note that pairs naturally with the baked pear.

The pastry work looks intricate but it really is straightforward. Cut an 8-inch round to wrap the body, a 2-inch round with a hole cut through the center for the top (so the stem sticks up), and a small leaf from the scraps pressed against the side.

Pro Tips

• Use firm, slightly underripe Bartlett pears, ripe pears turn to mush before the pastry browns
• Brush sugar crystals down the pan sides with a wet pastry brush while the caramel cooks, crystallized sugar seeds the whole batch back to grainy
• Refrigerate the wrapped pears the full hour before baking, chilled pastry puffs higher and browns more evenly
• Use two-piece egg glaze (yolk plus a teaspoon of water) for a deeper, more mahogany finish than yolk alone
• Serve immediately, the pastry loses crispness within 15 minutes of coming out of the oven

Variations

• Swap currant jelly for raspberry jam or apricot preserves for a different jewel-toned center
• Serve over a spoonful of chocolate sauce instead of caramel for contrast
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the jelly filling for a spiced twist