Filo-wrapped pears recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well; set aside.
2. Take a small slice from the base of each pear so they can stand steadily. Insert an apple corer (see tip, below) into the base of each pear to cut around the core, then insert the loop end of a metal skewer to remove it.
3. Cut 4 x 5cm squares from a sheet of filo pastry. Stuff the filling into the pears, then screw each pastry square into a ball and use as plugs to keep the filling inside.
4. Working one at a time, brush a sheet of filo with melted butter, stand a pear in the middle and pull up the sides of the pastry, twisting it gently around the pear. Press to secure, then repeat with a second pastry sheet and a little more butter.
5. Take a third pastry sheet and, with the longest side facing you, cut vertically into 6 x 5cm strips with kitchen scissors. Brush each with butter, then fold in half lengthways to sandwich the butter in the middle.
6. Starting at the top of one of the pears, wrap a strip (with the fold facing upwards) around it, securing with a dab of melted butter, and working down to the base and trimming the strips if needed. Brush the whole pear with beaten egg and carefully transfer to the lined baking tray; repeat with the remaining pears. Bake for 25-30 mins until the pears are soft and the pastry is golden. Serve with custard, if you like.

• Tip: If you don't have an apple corer, use a small paring knife. This will leave a conical rather than round hole in the pear, so you'll only need around half the filling – or replace the fruit mix with a piece of chocolate.

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