~Much Ado About Nothing...Week-end

Young lovers Hero and Claudio are to be married in one week. To pass the time, they conspire with Don Pedro to set a "lover's trap" for Benedick, an arrogant confirmed bachelor, and Beatrice, his favorite sparring partner. Meanwhile, the evil Don Jon conspires to break up the wedding by accusing Hero of infidelity. In the end, though, it all turns out to be "much ado about nothing."


Served with...."Much Ado About Hazelnut Pear Creme Brulee"

Ingredients:

Poached Pears

• 4 x Anjou pears
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 x black peppercorns
• 3 tbsp hazlenut liqueur

Creme Brulee

• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 x vanilla bean
• 8 x large egg yolks
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp hazlenut liquer
• Turbinado Sugar, for bruleeing
• 1/4 cup sliced hazlenut, lightly toasted

Creme Brulee

1. For poached pears, peel, half and core pears and place in a saucepot. Add wine, water, sugar and peppercorns and cover surface of liquid with a sheet of parchment paper or a plate that fits inside the pot (otherwise pears will float). Bring pears up to a simmer on medium heat, then shut off heat and let pears sit in liquid until cooled to room temperature. Remove pears, and gently toss with hazelnut liqueur. Once liqueur is absorbed, place a pear, flat-side down in a dish. Chill while preparing custard.
2. Prepare a bowl of ice water large enough to fit a medium saucepan. Heat cream and scraped seeds from vanilla bean to just below a simmer. While cream is heating, beat egg yolks and sugar on high speed until pale and thick. Gradually pour in hot cream while beating and return entire mixture to medium heat. Stir custard mixture until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and immerse pan in ice water to halt cooking process. Stir to cool for a moment, stir in hazelnut liqueur, then strain. While still warm pour custard over chilled pear dishes. Chill custards for at least 4 hours.