Pear & Cranberry Pot Pie

Pot pie for dessert?  You bet...this sweet pot pie features fall fruit topped with a flaky puff pastry crust.  It would be even better served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  • thaw: 40 minutes
  • prep: 30 minutes
  • bake: 40 minutes
  • stand: 15 minutes
  • cool: 20 minutes
  • Serves: 6

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Puff Pastry Sheets(1 sheet), thawed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 4 pounds ripe pear, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes (about 6 cups)
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.

  2. Stir the pears, cranberries, sugar, orange zest and anise seed in an 8x8-inch (2-quart) shallow baking dish.  Let stand for 15 minutes.

  3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  Roll the pastry sheet into an 11-inch square.  Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture.  Invert the pastry onto the baking dish.  Press the pastry to the rim to seal.  Trim the excess pastry.  If desired, cut leaves or other holiday shapes from the pastry scraps and decorate the pastry top.  Brush the pastry with the egg mixture.

  4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.  Let the pot pie cool in the dish on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

  5. Tip: To make individual pot pies, prepare the pear mixture as directed above and divide among 6 (8-ounce) ramekins.  Roll 2 thawed pastry sheets into 12-inch squares. Cut each into 3 (6-inch) circles, making 6 in all. Place the pastry circles onto the ramekins.  Press the pastry to the rims to seal.  Trim off excess pastry.  Place the filled ramekins onto a baking sheet.  Bake as directed above.

Top Crust Recipe

Watch a how-to demonstration of this recipe technique.

Watch the demo to see how to make this type of recipe, then consult your recipe for specific instructions.

Avoid pressing too hard when rolling out the ends and edges—you want to avoid pressing the edge layers together, as that will prevent the pastry from rising.

You can brush an egg-wash glaze (1 egg plus 1 tsp. water) over the Puff Pastry to create a rich, golden sheen when baked.

If bubbles appear on the surface while baking Puff Pastry, prick with a fork to deflate them.

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