Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel, core and slice apples and pears.
Melt butter in a sauté pan over high heat. Add apples, pears, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook until caramelized, yet still a little crunchy. Spread the fruit in a shallow pan and refrigerate uncovered until cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, remove the puff pastry sheet from the freezer and place on a cutting board. Let the sheet stand at room temperature to soften just enough to unfold, 5 to 10 minutes. Arrange the unfolded sheet so the creases from the folds are vertical, or perpendicular to the edge of the cutting that is facing you.
Transfer the cooled apple mixture to a bowl, add the vanilla bean paste, and stir until combined.
To prepare the puff pastry sheet for braiding, cut diagonal strips about ½-inch apart, on the right and left thirds of the dough. Keep the center third of the dough uncut. You can use the creases in the dough that remain from unfolding the sheet as your guide to divide the sheet into thirds. Spread the sauteed fruit on the center third of the puff pastry. Lightly egg wash the cut strips of dough and crisscross, left then right, over the fruit filling to braid. Lightly egg wash the top of the pastry and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until deep golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes.
Recipe by Pastry Chef Jenny McCoy.
Preheat the oven to 177°C. Peel, core and slice apples and pears.
Melt butter in a sauté pan over high heat. Add apples, pears, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook until caramelized, yet still a little crunchy. Spread the fruit in a shallow pan and refrigerate uncovered until cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, remove the puff pastry sheet from the freezer and place on a cutting board. Let the sheet stand at room temperature to soften just enough to unfold, 5 to 10 minutes. Arrange the unfolded sheet so the creases from the folds are vertical, or perpendicular to the edge of the cutting that is facing you.
Transfer the cooled apple mixture to a bowl, add the vanilla bean paste, and stir until combined.
To prepare the puff pastry sheet for braiding, cut diagonal strips about 1-centimeter apart, on the right and left thirds of the dough. Keep the center third of the dough uncut. You can use the creases in the dough that remain from unfolding the sheet as your guide to divide the sheet into thirds. Spread the sauteed fruit on the center third of the puff pastry. Lightly egg wash the cut strips of dough and crisscross, left then right, over the fruit filling to braid. Lightly egg wash the top of the pastry and sprinkle with vanilla bean sugar. Bake until deep golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes.
Recipe by Pastry Chef Jenny McCoy.
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
