These pear stacks are so much fun to assemble, they are like a puzzle. A great Christmas project for kids!
YIELD: 1 pear stack per recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pear, ripe but firm (Anjou or Bosc)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips for melting, semi sweet or dark
- Powdered sugar for dusting
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit, or 275 degrees for a convection bake setting.
- Slice the pear horizontally into very thin slices, about 1/16th of an inch thick, as close to the top as you safely can. If your pear has a stem, remove it and set it aside for garnish. NOTE: A mandolin works best for this job.
- Place the pear slices in a single layer on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, you will most likely need two. Give each pear slice a generous sprinkling of sugar and bake for 15 minutes, carefully flip each slice over and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the slices are dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the slices onto a rack to dry. NOTE: if the pears are browning too much, turn the oven off and leave the pears in the oven for about 30 minutes to an hour to continue drying out. Depending on the climate you live in, the pears will either stay crisp or be a bit chewier.
- In a heatproof bowl melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until it is completely smooth.
- To assemble the stacks; start with the bottom piece of the pear, dollop a dime size of melted chocolate on the slice, and place the next slice on top, pressing down gently to adhere it. Continue with the remaining slices, rebuilding the pear as you go. Lastly, put a small dot of chocolate on the top of the last piece and insert the stem.
- Let the pear sit in a cool place until the chocolate has hardened before handling, do not put in the refrigerator or the pear slices will soften.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired and wrap in a cellophane bag. The pear will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature.
