6
Easy
45 minutes
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Slice the pears (including the stalks) in half and remove the core. Dissolve sugar in water or verjuice and bring to the boil.
Simmer the pears in the syrup for 10 minutes or until the pears are soft but still firm. Remove them from the syrup with a slotted spoon, and set aside.
Stir grated chocolate into the syrup until the chocolate has melted. Keep sauce warm, on the side, while making the pies.
To make the filling: Blend the almonds, sugar and butter to make a paste. Fill the cavities of the pears with the almond paste.
To make the pies: Divide the pastry into six squares. Wrap each pear half in a blanket of pastry. Bake for 15 minutes; turn the heat down to 180°C and bake for a further 10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Serve the pears with the chocolate sauce.
