Pear, chocolate and hazelnut turnovers

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Prep time: 30 minutes + cooling

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Makes: 12

1kg pears, ripe but firm

40g butter

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1/2 cup (70g) hazelnuts

100g dark chocolate, chopped

3 sheets frozen butter puff pastry

1 egg, lightly beaten

demerara sugar, to sprinkle

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line 2 oven trays with non-stick baking paper. Peel, quarter and core the pears, and chop into 2cm pieces. Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan. Add the pears and cook, stirring, over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until they start to soften slightly.

2. Sprinkle the sugar over and add 1/2 cup (125mL) water. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes (depending on the ripeness of the pears) until pears are tender and the water has evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl to cool completely. Once most of the steam has gone, you can put them in the fridge so they cool quickly.

3. Meanwhile, spread the hazelnuts onto an oven tray and roast for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden (keep an eye on them, as they can burn quickly). Tip onto a tea towel and leave to cool. Gather the tea towel into a pouch and rub through the cloth to remove the loose skins – they won’t all come off. Pick out the hazelnuts, and chop.

4. Add the hazelnuts and chopped chocolate to the pears, and combine evenly. Separate the pastry sheets and thaw the pastry slightly, which will only take a couple of minutes. It is easier to work with the pastry while it’s still cold and slightly firm. Working one at a time, cut a sheet into 4 squares.

5. Place a scant 1/4 cupful of the mixture onto a pastry square, in a line across the centre, about 1cm from each side. Roll up to enclose the filling, and place each seam-side-down onto the prepared tray. Use a fork to press the ends together. Repeat this step with the remaining pastry and filling.

6. Brush each turnover with egg, and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Prick a couple of times with a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden-brown.

Note

Let these nutty turnovers cool down for a while, then serve them warm.