Pear Dumplings

Although the name sounds a bit odd, this is a delicious dessert. It is sweet, but not overwhelmingly. Excellent way to incorporate fruit into your dessert menu.


Pear Dumplings
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 large egg white, beaten
3 medium pears

In food processor with knife blade attached, process flour, butter and cream cheese until mixture forms ball. Remove pastry dough from processor, and flatten into small disk. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Line cookie sheet with foil. Peel pears, leaving stem intact; cut each pear lengthwise in half and remove core. Set pear halves aside.

On floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll half of pastry dough 1/8-inch thick. Using 7-inch round plate as a guide, cut 3 rounds from pastry. Remove trimmings.

In cup, combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle pastry rounds with half of sugar mixture. Place 1 pear half, core side up, on each pastry. Fold pastry over pears, and pinch edges to seal. Place pastry-wrapped pears, seam side down, on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry, sugar mixture and pear halves to make six dumplings.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Re-roll pastry trimmings, and cut to make leaves. Brush pastry-wrapped pears with egg white, and decorate pastry leaves and brush with egg white. Sprinkle dumplings with granulated sugar. In oven, place 2 sheets of foil under cookie sheet, and crimp edges to form rim to catch any overflow during baking. (There will be some leakage.) Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until pastry is golden. With spatula, immediately transfer dumplings to wire rack. Cool slightly, but serve warm.