Brown Butter Pear Phyllo Nests
Crisp phyllo nests hold cinnamon pears and a creamy vanilla center in a 40-minute dessert.
Prep: 18 · Cook: 22 · Total: 40 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Medium · Rating: 4.9/5 (76 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
An original small-format dessert that pairs crackly phyllo with warm pears and a creamy vanilla center.
Story
A little phyllo goes a long way when you want dessert to feel festive but still manageable. Casey fills these crisp nests with cinnamon pears and a soft vanilla center, then adds almonds for a little crunch. They are lovely warm, but sturdy enough to bring to a neighbors table.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 6 phyllo dough sheets, thawed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ripe but firm Bartlett pears, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 F and lightly butter six cups of a muffin tin.
- Toss the pears with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt, then let them stand while you make the filling.
- Whisk the cream cheese, honey, vanilla, and egg yolk until smooth and set aside.
- Brush each phyllo sheet with melted butter, stack the sheets, cut the stack into six squares, and press each square into a muffin cup.
- Divide the cream cheese filling among the nests, top with the pears and almonds, and bake for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.
- Cool the nests for 5 minutes, lift them out carefully, and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Chef Tips
- Keep unused phyllo under a damp towel so it does not crack while you work.
- Dice the pears small so they soften inside the short bake time.
- Use a thin layer of butter on every phyllo sheet for the crispest edges.
- Serve slightly warm with plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream.
Cook's Notes
- Cover phyllo between uses.
- Dice pears small.
- Butter every layer.
- Cool briefly before lifting from the tin.