Pears in Puff Pastry

Ingredients:

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Serves 6 - 302 cal per serving
Prep-time: 10 min. - Total-time: 30 min.

Defrost 1 puff pastry sheet at room temperature (e.g. Peppridge Farm puff pastry sheets (3x folded) 1 sheet = 240 g (8-4 oz), 1 sheet 24-5cm x 8 cm (9-65 inch x 3-15 inch). Carefully fold the sheet apart. Cut it into 6 equal squares. Sprinkle the confectioner's sugar over the almond paste (marzipan) and roll out on the working space. Cut out 6 equal squares. They should be a little bit smaller then the puff pastry squares. Layer the marzipan squares on top of the dough squares. Use ripe, firm pears. Cut in half and remove the core and stem. Put half a pear, cut side down, on each marzipan-dough square. You can peel the pears if you like. Do not use canned pears, they are too juicy. Cut little slots lengthwise into the pear halves and stick in thin almond slices. Heat the oven to 390 F. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes on the middle rung until they are golden. Important: Cover the pears after 16 - 18 minutes with parchment paper, to prevent the almond slices from burning. Sprinkle with coarse sugar while they are hot. They taste best freshly baked.