Butterfly Pea Poached Pears

Ingredients:
3 bosc pears
6 cups water
⅓ cup elderflower syrup (or maple syrup)
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon butterfly pea powder

Peel the pears but leave the stems attached.

Whisk together the rest of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add the pears and boil 15 to 20 minutes, gently rolling them with a spoon as needed so they cook evenly.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bowl or container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Tip: While the pears are cooling to room temperature, place a round of parchment paper on top of the liquid to keep the pears fully submerged.

Tart Crust:

Ingredients:
10-ounce package of gluten-free vegan chocolate sandwich cookies
¼ cup melted vegan butter

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Blend the cookies in a food processor until they are a sandy texture, then add the melted butter and blend until combined.

Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate or shallow tart pan. Make sure the bottom and sides are evenly covered. Transfer to freezer and chill for 10 minutes, then place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is set and fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely before adding the filling.

Tart Filling:

First infuse oat milk, using:

2½ cups gluten-free oat milk
3 bags jasmine green tea
1 tablespoon juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 tablespoons butterfly pea powder

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then strain.

Then you’ll need:
Infused oat milk (above)
1 cup canned coconut cream
1 cup gluten-free oat milk
½ cup vegan yogurt
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup cornstarch
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. The mixture should coat the back of a spatula and be of thick consistency and a darker color once the cornstarch has cooked completely.

Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the custard into the tart crust and place in the fridge until just set, about 20 minutes. With a smooth knife, cut the poached pears in half and lop off about a ½ inch from the stem end of each, then thinly slice them.

Arrange the pears artistically on top of the custard and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Add star sprinkles just before serving, if desired.

Arrange the Isomalt Dragonflies:

You’ll need a dragonfly mold, or you can make your own. I made mine from some dragonfly lights I found at Ikea. Just use a food-safe two-part mold putty to shape around the dragonflies, then let it cure. A note on isomalt: It is very hot and will stick to your skin, so be cautious! This is not a project for children.

Melt some ready-to-use isomalt in a heat-safe measuring cup following the directions on the package. Mix in edible luster dust as desired for the body of the dragonfly and pour it to fill in the body part of the mold. Then melt some more isomalt in another heat-safe measuring cup and pour it into the wings and fill the body cavity. Optional: cut a 1-inch (or less) section from a bamboo skewer and insert it into the bottom of the body just below the head to suspend your dragonfly over the tart as if it is flying! Let the isomalt set up completely, then very gently unmold the dragonfly. Repeat to make another dragonfly. (I recommend also making one extra, as they are quite fragile!)

To add more dimension to the wings, rub a little interference blue luster dust onto a clean finger and run it over the high points of the wing pattern. Stick the dragonflies into the tart right before serving.