Caramelized Pear Cannoli with Praline Sauce

Categories: Pastries

Ingredients

• 3 firm ripe pears, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. butter melted
• Parchment paper
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 (8oz.) pkg. mascarpone cheese
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
• 8 (5-inch long) cannoli shells
• Praline Sauce:
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Garnish: Paper-Thin Pears

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together first 3 ingredients. Spread in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined 15 × 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Let pears cool 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bake pecans at 350 degrees in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
3. Stir together pears, mascarpone, and lemon zest. Beat cream and powdered sugar at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream mixture into pear mixture.
4. Spoon pear mixture into a zip-top plastic freezer bag; snip 1 corner of bag to make a 1-inch hole. Pipe pear mixture into cannoli shells. Place in a 13 × 9- inch pan. Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Serve cannoli with warm Praline Sauce, and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Garnish, if desired.

5. Praline Sauce:

6. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

7. Cool slightly (about 10 minutes). Serve warm.

8. Paper-Thin Pears:

9. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Thinly slice 1 pear lengthwise using a mandoline; reserve first and last slices (with outer skin) for another use. Place pear slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake 4 to 5 hours or until crisp. Let cool 20 minutes.

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