This is a flaky, golden pastry filled with a tender sweet and spiced pear filling. Pears become softer than apples when baked, giving this dessert a melt-in-your mouth texture. It’s more delicate tasting than apple strudel. I topped it with cranberry sauce to give it a fruitier flavor.

Serves 10

• 10 squares puff pastry
• 5 firm, ripe pears, peeled and diced
• 3 Tbsp natural maple syrup
• 1 full tsp cinnamon
• scant 1/4 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp flour (I use white spelt)
• 3/4–1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• vanilla sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray.

Stretch each square of puff pastry, gently pressing it down into the cups.

Place pears, maple syrup, cinnamon, and ginger into a small saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, or until just soft. Add flour and stir to thicken for 30 seconds, or until liquid is absorbed.

Place a heaping Tbsp of pear mixture on each dough. Top with 1 Tbsp cranberry sauce. Sprinkle the tops with vanilla sugar. Fill the empty muffin cups halfway with water so it bakes evenly.

Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until golden. While baking, the fruit mixture will rise. Either flatten it halfway through the baking time, or wait until it cools, when it sinks a bit.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with maple syrup.

These strudels freeze well.

Note: If puff pastry squares aren’t available, cut puff pastry dough into squares.

Tip: Leftover cranberry sauce can be frozen. Label the container (you won’t remember what’s in it otherwise!) and use it in meat sauces or other baked goods.