Name: Poached Pear and Pistachio Wreath
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT11H50M0.000S
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 small firm-ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored (about 1 pound 12 ounces); 1 bottle dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 cinnamon sticks; 3 whole star anise; 8 whole cloves; 8 black peppercorns; Two 3-inch-long strips orange zest; Juice of 1 orange; 2/3 cup pistachio flour; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 large egg; All-purpose flour, for dusting; One 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed; 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar; 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

Directions

Special equipment:

a 5 1/2-inch-diameter bowl

For the poached pears: Choose a large pot that can fit all the pears in a single layer. Set the pears aside.
Combine the wine, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, orange zest and orange juice in the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low so the mixture just simmers. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the pears and simmer until the pears are just tender, about 20 minutes, rotating them frequently to make sure all sides turn a rosy pink color (do not overcook the pears; they will continue to soften during resting and baking).
Remove the pot from the heat and let the pears sit in the pot for another 20 minutes. Transfer the pears to a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer over the pears; discard the spices. Cover the dish and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (If you can, flip the pears at some point during chilling for uniform color.)
For the pistachio frangipane: Add the pistachio flour, granulated sugar, butter, egg, all-purpose flour, vanilla and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the wreath: Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water for an egg wash and set aside.
Remove the poached pears from the liquid and place them cut sides down on a plate or tray lined with a few sheets of paper towels to remove excess liquid. Reserve the poaching liquid for later.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Lay 1 puff pastry sheet down and dust off any excess flour from the top. Dust excess flour from one side of the second sheet of puff pastry, then lay it on top of the first sheet. Roll the pastry into a 14-by-14-inch square. Cut the corners off to form a rough 14-inch circle. Gently fold the dough in half, then half again. Carefully transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet and unfold. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes if the dough is too soft to work with.
Flip a 5 1/2-inch-diameter bowl over the center of the dough. Spread the frangipane in a ring around the bowl, leaving a 1-inch border around the outer edge of the dough. Lay the pears cut sides down over the frangipane, evenly spacing them apart with the pointed tops of each pear facing outward. Fold the edges of the dough up between each of the pears. Where the dough covers the tops of each pear, pinch with your fingers to create a point.
Remove the bowl from the center. Make cuts down the center of the inner circle of dough from one pear to the one opposite it, creating 8 small triangular wedges. Brush the outer edges of the dough wreath with egg wash. Fold each of the center triangles up and outwards toward the edges of the wreath, between two pears, and press the dough gently into the egg-washed outer edges. Brush the remaining exposed dough with more egg wash, then sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the dough and the pears. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pour the strained poaching liquid into a large saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat and cook until reduced to a third, about 12 minutes. It should have the consistency of a thick syrup; it will thicken more as it cools. Set aside until ready to use (see Cook’s Note).
Bake the wreath until the pastry puffs and turns deep golden brown, 28 to 34 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through. Let the wreath cool on the pan for 30 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
When ready to serve, drizzle some of the red wine syrup over the wreath and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.

Cook’s Note

You won’t need all the red wine syrup for your wreath. It stores in the fridge for a week and makes a delicious topping drizzled over ice cream, waffles, pancakes and other baked goods. If the reduction is too thick to drizzle once it cools, stir in 1 teaspoon water to thin it, or microwave it for 30 seconds and stir until loosened.