Chocolate parcels with pears and butterscotch recipe
Chocolate filo parcels with poached pears and butterscotch sauce A decadent dessert with crispy, gooey chocolate filled pastries served alongside a sweet butterscotch sauce and spiced poached pears. 250g/9oz dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces250g/9oz salted butter, diced225g/8oz caster sugar75g/2¾oz plain flour, sifted7 free-range eggs, plus 1 free-range egg yolk1 pack pre-made filo pastry, you will need about 12 sheetsvegetable oil, for deep fat frying50g/1¾oz sugar mixed with ground cinnamon 250g/9oz dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces 250g/9oz salted butter, diced 225g/8oz caster sugar 75g/2¾oz plain flour, sifted 7 free-range eggs, plus 1 free-range egg yolk 1 pack pre-made filo pastry, you will need about 12 sheets vegetable oil, for deep fat frying 50g/1¾oz sugar mixed with ground cinnamon 185ml/6¾fl oz double cream1 vanilla pod, split365g/12½oz caster sugar4 tbsp liquid glucoselarge pinch flaked sea salt300g/10½oz butter, diced, at room temperature 185ml/6¾fl oz double cream 1 vanilla pod, split 365g/12½oz caster sugar 4 tbsp liquid glucose large pinch flaked sea salt 300g/10½oz butter, diced, at room temperature 500ml/18fl oz apple juice100g/3½oz soft light brown sugar3 star anise1 cinnamon stick½ tsp ground black peppercorns1 vanilla pod, split½ bunch thyme1 bay leaf½ lemon, zest only 5 Conference pears, peeled 500ml/18fl oz apple juice 100g/3½oz soft light brown sugar 3 star anise 1 cinnamon stick ½ tsp ground black peppercorns 1 vanilla pod, split ½ bunch thyme 1 bay leaf ½ lemon, zest only 5 Conference pears, peeled Method To make the chocolate parcels, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Put the sugar and flour in a bowl together. Whisk the eggs and the egg yolk together. Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Place the mixture in piping bags in the fridge to firm up overnight. To make the butterscotch, place the cream and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave for 20 minutes to infuse. Heat a separate saucepan and add half of the sugar and the glucose. Cook until it becomes an amber caramel. Add the remaining sugar and cook until it becomes a golden caramel. Pour in the infused cream slowly, whisking to emulsify. Remove from heat. Add the salt and then add the butter, cube by cube, until dissolved, to fully incorporate. To make the poached pears, place all the ingredients (apart from the pears) and 500ml/18fl oz water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Rub the pears with a scourer to remove any remaining peel. Place the pears into the liquor and simmer for 8–10 minutes until a sharp knife easily penetrates the flesh. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the liquor. Preheat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 170C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)Create the parcels by brushing the filo sheets with oil and folding them in half. Pipe the chocolate mixture in the centre of the filo sheets, leaving a wide border all around. Roll up the pastry to create a long oblong shape. Tuck in the ends tightly. Cook for 3-4 minutes in the deep fat fryer. Carefully remove from the fryer and roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture.Serve the chocolate parcels warm with the pears and butterscotch sauce alongside. To make the chocolate parcels, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Put the sugar and flour in a bowl together. Whisk the eggs and the egg yolk together. To make the chocolate parcels, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Put the sugar and flour in a bowl together. Whisk the eggs and the egg yolk together. Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Place the mixture in piping bags in the fridge to firm up overnight. Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Place the mixture in piping bags in the fridge to firm up overnight. To make the butterscotch, place the cream and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave for 20 minutes to infuse. Heat a separate saucepan and add half of the sugar and the glucose. Cook until it becomes an amber caramel. Add the remaining sugar and cook until it becomes a golden caramel. Pour in the infused cream slowly, whisking to emulsify. Remove from heat. Add the salt and then add the butter, cube by cube, until dissolved, to fully incorporate. To make the butterscotch, place the cream and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave for 20 minutes to infuse. Heat a separate saucepan and add half of the sugar and the glucose. Cook until it becomes an amber caramel. Add the remaining sugar and cook until it becomes a golden caramel. Pour in the infused cream slowly, whisking to emulsify. Remove from heat. Add the salt and then add the butter, cube by cube, until dissolved, to fully incorporate. To make the poached pears, place all the ingredients (apart from the pears) and 500ml/18fl oz water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Rub the pears with a scourer to remove any remaining peel. Place the pears into the liquor and simmer for 8–10 minutes until a sharp knife easily penetrates the flesh. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the liquor. To make the poached pears, place all the ingredients (apart from the pears) and 500ml/18fl oz water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Rub the pears with a scourer to remove any remaining peel. Place the pears into the liquor and simmer for 8–10 minutes until a sharp knife easily penetrates the flesh. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the liquor. Preheat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 170C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Preheat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 170C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Create the parcels by brushing the filo sheets with oil and folding them in half. Pipe the chocolate mixture in the centre of the filo sheets, leaving a wide border all around. Roll up the pastry to create a long oblong shape. Tuck in the ends tightly. Cook for 3-4 minutes in the deep fat fryer. Carefully remove from the fryer and roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Create the parcels by brushing the filo sheets with oil and folding them in half. Pipe the chocolate mixture in the centre of the filo sheets, leaving a wide border all around. Roll up the pastry to create a long oblong shape. Tuck in the ends tightly. Cook for 3-4 minutes in the deep fat fryer. Carefully remove from the fryer and roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Serve the chocolate parcels warm with the pears and butterscotch sauce alongside. Serve the chocolate parcels warm with the pears and butterscotch sauce alongside.