Pear and Almond Filo Mummies
Why this recipe works
- Fruit beneath crisp layers: Tender pear contrasts with delicate flakes of buttered filo. Loosely crossed strips allow the pastry to crisp around the rounded fruit.
- A small, fragrant filling: Almonds and cinnamon flavour the hollowed core without hiding the pear. Small chocolate eyes add decoration without a heavy coating.
- Freehand wrapping: Crossed strips create the mummy outline without a cutter. Uneven overlaps look natural when the bandages remain thin enough to bake through.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Check the neck of the pear: Choose pears that yield slightly near the stalk but hold their shape. Hard fruit may stay firm after the filo browns; overripe halves are difficult to wrap.
- Keep unused filo covered: Work with a small stack and keep the rest covered. Exposed filo dries quickly and becomes too brittle to fold around the fruit.
- Thaw frozen filo before starting: The recipe begins with refrigerated filo. If yours is frozen, follow the packet instructions for thawing in the fridge and allow that extra time before preparing the pears.
Common mistakes
- Bind the almond filling: Mix the filling’s portion of melted butter into the almonds first. The damp crumbs stay together against the pastry underneath as you turn the pears.
- Leave room around the bandages: Space the wrapped halves apart on the shallow tray. Touching pastry edges trap moisture, so tuck loose ends beneath each pear.
Timing notes
- Decorate only when cold: Wait until the pears and pastry are completely cold before piping the eyes. Warm fruit melts the chocolate and lets the white dots spread into the surrounding bandages.
- Plan for the best pastry texture: Bake on the serving day, allowing the full cooling period. Refrigerated leftovers make a chilled dessert, but the filo softens.
Serving ideas
- Support the softened fruit: Use a wide spatula beneath each pear half when moving it to a dessert plate. The fine filo strips are a wrapping, not handles for lifting.
- Serve chilled leftovers in small bowls: Cut chilled leftover pear halves into bite-size pieces and divide among small dessert bowls. Serve cold, keeping to the original refrigerated storage limit.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Pears and pastry
Eyes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a tray. Peel the pears, halve lengthways, remove the stalks and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon, enlarging the cavities slightly, then pat dry.
- Melt the butter gently and mix 15 g of it with the ground almonds, sugar and cinnamon to make a damp crumbly filling. Press this into the 8 core cavities, reserving the remaining 45 g butter for the filo.
- Brush the filo sheets with the reserved melted butter and cut into strips about 2 cm wide. Divide the strips into 8 groups, laying each group in a loose overlapping row; keep unused pastry covered so it does not dry out.
- Place a pear half cut-side down on each group, enclosing the almond filling against the pastry. Cross the strips over the rounded top like bandages, leaving a small gap near the narrow end for the eyes; tuck the ends underneath and transfer to the tray.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until the filo is golden and a small knife enters the pear easily. If the pastry colours before the pear is tender, cover loosely and continue baking until tender.
- Cool on a rack for 35–40 minutes until completely cold. Melt the chocolates separately in dry bowls over warm water, then pipe white eyes with dark pupils onto the exposed pear between the filo strips and leave for 5 minutes to set.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Use ripe pears that yield slightly near the stalk; hard unripe pears may stay firm after the pastry browns. Keep the bandages thin enough to bake through. Thaw frozen filo in the fridge before starting, following the packet instructions and allowing extra time.
- A shallow tray about 30 × 40 cm holds the 8 pear halves with room for the filo edges to crisp. Serve on dessert plates using a wide spatula to support the softened fruit.
Substitutions
- Replace the cinnamon with ground cardamom in the same quantity.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Best on the day of baking for crisp pastry. Refrigerate in a covered container within 2 hours at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within 2 days; the filo softens in storage. Cut chilled leftover pears into bite-size pieces for dessert bowls; the filo will be softer and the chocolate eyes need no reheating.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 8 pieces
- Yield: pear filo mummies
- Total time: 2h 5min (50min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Fusion
-
Allergens:
Almonds Gluten Milk Tree nuts Wheat
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