
Apple and Pear Pastry with Cinnamon Pear Balsamic
Ingredients
Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Caramel
- 1 TBS Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 TBS Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 tspn Salt
Pastry Dough
- 4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tspn Salt
- 1 pound Cold Butter
- 1 1/4 cups Ice Water
Filling
- 4 small Apples
- 2 small Pears
Extra
- 1 small Egg To be used for Egg wash
Instructions
- Making the Pastry: In a large bowl mix together the flour and salt. Cut the butter up into 1/2 inch slices (NOT CUBES) and toss into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are coated and separated. Add the ice water and quickly mix with a spoon. Large pieces of butter will remain and the dough will be incredibly sticky.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 10 times by pressing and pushing the dough together to form a rough ball. Shape the dough into a rough rectangle. It will have dry looking areas and be lumpy. Make the corners as square as possible. Slightly flatten it.
- Working on a well-floured surface, roll the dough into an 18×15-inch rectangle. Fold crosswise into thirds to form a 15×6-inch rectangle. Give dough a quarter turn, then fold crosswise into thirds to form a 5×6-inch rectangle and to create 9 layers. Repeat the rolling, folding, turning, and folding process once more, forming a 5×4-inch rectangle. Wrap dough with plastic wrap. Chill for 20 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding process 2 more times. Before using, chill dough for 20 minutes more. For this recipe, use half of the dough produced. Put the other half in the freezer for another time.
- While the dough is chilling peel and core the apples and pears and cut them into 1/2 inch slices.
- Make the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Caramel: Put the butter, salt and brown sugar in a large saute pan. Let them melt together until they form the beginnings of a caramel. Add the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar. Let the mixture just come to a boil. Lower the heat and add half of the apples and pears. Let them cook until the fruit is very soft.
- Add the remaining apples and pears. Cook until the fruit is just beginning to soften and the caramel is nice and thickened. Set aside.
- Put it All Together: Preheat the oven to 400° Take the pastry dough out of the refrigerator, unfold it and cut it in half. As mentioned above, put the second half in the freezer to use later.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle, 1/4″ thick, about 15″ by 18″. Trim the edges.
- Cut about 2″ in on each side to make strips
- Move the dough to a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Place the apple/pear caramel mixture down the center.
- Fold the bottom and top up and under and trim. Bring the two opposing sides together and let the ends fall to the other side. Brush with the egg wash.
- Bake at 400° for 40 – 45 minutes until nice and brown. Turn the pastry halfway through baking. Let cool on a wire rack.