Chocolate & Hazelnut Pear Pastries

Submitted by bluemoon downunder

"Delicious pastries: great to serve to family and for dinner parties. Adapted from a recipe I found in a recent issue of 'New Idea'."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 400 g pear slices in juice, throughly drained
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1⁄3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, finely chopped, chopping them in a mini processor, if you have one, might be your best option here
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles (optional)
• icing sugar, to dust (optional)

directions

1. After draining the pears, place the pieces on absorbent kitchen paper towelling to remove excess juice; pat dry with additional paper towelling; chop the pear slices.
2. Cut each pastry sheet in half so that you have four rectangular pieces; spread 1 tablespoon hazelnut spread leaving a 2cm (just under an inch) border; sprinkle a quarter of the hazelnuts along the long side of each pastry rectangle; sprinkle a quarter of the cinnamon on top of the chopped hazelnuts; spoon a quarter of the chopped pears on top of the hazelnuts and cinnamon; roll up the pastry rectangle to enclose the filling; very gently twist the pastry logs a few times to make a crescent shape; bring the two ends together and pinch to join.
3. Lined an oven tray with baking paper, and place the pastries on the oven tray; brush with egg and (if using) sprinkle each pastry with a teaspoonful of chocolate-flavoured sprinkles.
4. Bake the pastries in a hot oven (200°C) for about 25 minutes, or until golden.
5. Sprinkle pastries with icing sugar (if using) and serve warm or cold with a dollop of cream or Greek yoghurt.
6. NOTES: Canned apples or peaches can be substituted for the the pears. Don't be tempted to use extra hazelnut spread in the pastries because it will leak out during the cooking. The pastries are best served warm on the day they are made. To reheat, place on an oven tray, cover with foil and heat in a moderate oven (180°C) for about 10 minutes.