Pear Phyllo Cups with Vanilla-Thyme Sauce

Crisp phyllo cups with a cheesecake filling topped with sliced pears and served with a lemon-scented vanilla-thyme sauce.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can Bartlett pears in heavy syrup, drained (syrup reserved), cut into 1/4-inch slices

Sauce:
Reserved syrup from pears
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, fresh
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Phyllo Cup:
4 sheets Phyllo dough (approximately 12 x 17 inches each)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey

Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions:

1. To Prepare Sauce: In saucepan, combine reserved syrup, lemon juice and thyme leaves. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce liquid to half. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool.
2. To Prepare Filling: In small bowl, combine cream cheese and butter; mix well. Add egg yolk; mix until creamy. Stir in flour and vanilla; mix well. Set aside.
3. To Prepare Phyllo Cups: Stack sheets of phyllo dough; cut in half lengthwise and into thirds crosswise to form 6 rectangles. Cover with plastic wrap, then a damp kitchen towel; set aside.
4. In small saucepan combine butter and honey. Heat over low heat until butter is melted; keep warm.
5. Coat 6 muffin cups with Baker's Joy, set aside.
6. Use 4 rectangles to form each phyllo cup. Place 1 rectangle on work surface. Place a second rectangle on top, rotating slightly to fan edges. Brush with butter and honey mixture. Place third rectangle on top, rotating slightly. Brush top with honey-butter mixture. Place fourth rectangle on top rotating slightly. Carefully press arranged stack into a muffin tin, allowing points to fan like petals. Repeat for other 5 phyllo cups.
7. Divide filling evenly among phyllo cups. Top each with 5 or 6 fanned pear slices.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes or until edges are crisp and lightly browned; (if phyllo browns quickly cover with foil) cool 5 minutes.
9. Carefully remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely. To serve, place phyllo cup on dessert plate. Drizzle with sauce and pool additional sauce around cups. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe): Calories: 311, Total Fat: 16 g, Cholesterol: 77 mg; Carbohydrate: 40 g, Protein: 4 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sodium: 226 mg.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of www.eatcannedpears.com, through ECES, Inc., Electronic Color Editorial Services.