Pear Napoleon with Ginger Pastry Cream

Ingredients

• 1  package (1.1 pounds) frozen puff pastry
• 8  large egg yolks
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
•   Pinch salt
• 3  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2-1/4  cups milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/4  cup heavy or whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter (no substitutes)
• 8  firm, yet ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1/3  cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2  teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons brandy (optional)
•   Pinch salt
•   Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degree F. Thaw puff pastry sheets at room temperature, 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to 1-1/6-inch thickness. Cut into twelve 3x5-inch pieces and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Carefully remove pastry from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.

2. Make pastry cream: Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Whisk in cornstarch. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring milk, vanilla, and ginger to a simmer, until mixture bubbles around the edges. Remove from heat and slowly pour milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer the liquid back to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thick, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and butter. Strain pastry cream into a clean bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold.

3. Make pears: In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook pears, sugar, lemon juice, brandy, and salt until the pears are translucent but still retain their shape. Remove pears from the pan. (If there is a lot of remaining liquid, cook it over high heat until slightly syrupy, then pour over pears.) Let the pears come to room temperature.

4. To assemble, place 2 tablespoons pastry cream and 1/12 of the pears in a 3x5-inch area in the middle of each plate. Top with one piece of puff pastry. Place more pears and pastry cream on top of the puff pastry. Finish by topping with a second piece of puff pastry. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Makes 6 servings.