Redbush (Rooibos) Tea Poached Pear Parcels with Dipping Sauce
Recipes for Home and Restaurant
by Nadine Lloyd
Ingredients:
(Serves 6-8)
Poached Filling:
10-12 firm pears
4 Redbush (Rooibos) tea bags
2x cinnamon sticks
5x cardamom pods - lightly crushed
3 cloves
8 cups water
¾ cup organic compact brown sugar
Juice from 1 large orange
½ teaspoon organic vanilla bean paste
Parcels:
1 packet of puff pastry, at room temperature
100g (3.5oz) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon organic brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Poached Sauce:
Leftover poaching liquid
2 tablespoons cornstarch/flour
1-2 tablespoons custard powder
½ cup organic brown sugar (optional to sweeten)
Method:
Peel, core, and dice the pears into small cubes, then set aside. Roughly chop the pecans, then place them into a separate bowl and set aside.
Using a large saucepan, boil 8 cups of water over high heat. Once boiling, add the tea bags and spices. Reduce the heat to medium and stir gently. Allow to lightly boil for 5-8 minutes. Remove the teabags and the spices, then place the liquid back onto medium/high heat.
Add the sugar, vanilla bean paste, and orange juice to the spiced tea. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved. Add the diced pairs and gently stir until the pears become soft.
Strain the pears into a large bowl. Keep the liquid aside for the dipping sauce. Allow the pears to cool to room temperature.
Melt the butter using a small microwave-safe jug.
Mix the sugar, allspice, and ground cinnamon together in a separate bowl.
Gently lay a sheet of puff pastry down onto the Samosa-making machine to cover the surface. (You may need to overlap some sheets to cover it completely.) Using the back of a teaspoon (or your thumb), gently press down into each indent. Lightly brush the surface with the melted butter, and then lightly sprinkle with the spiced sugar mixture. Add one teaspoon full of pear filling into the centre of each indent.
Add another layer of puff pastry over the top. Trim the pastry off around the edge. Cook in the Samosa-making machine until golden brown and crispy.
Poached Dipping Sauce:
Stir the poaching liquid from the pears over medium/high heat until simmering.
Add the cornstarch/flour and custard powder to a small measuring jug. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water, then mix through to create a paste.
Slowly add the paste to the poaching liquid. Whisk until the sauce thickens. Simmer for a further 5-8 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool. (If you want a sweeter sauce, add ½ a cup brown sugar, then whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Serve the dipping sauce along with the poached pear parcels.
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