Chocolate & Caramel Pear Pastry stack

With layer upon layer of crisp, flaky Pampas puff pastry, sweet caramelised pears and silky chocolate custard, this crowd-pleasing dessert really stacks up (RECIPE BELOW). Best of all, it’s simple to make, so you can wow the crowd without working up a sweat.
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Chocolate & Caramel Pear Pastry stack
Serves 8 Prep 30 mins (+ cooling time) Cooking 30 mins
3 sheets frozen Pampas Puff Pastry, just thawed
2 cups (560g) thick chocolate custard
Sea salt flakes, to sprinkle
2 tsp finely chopped pistachios
Icing sugar, to dust
Caramel pears
60g butter, chopped
2 tbs caster sugar
2 tbs brown sugar
4 large, ripe firm pears (about 900g), peeled, cored, quartered
1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper. Using a plate as a guide, cut 23cm discs from pastry, reserving excess. Place reserved pastry in fridge. Place pastry discs on lined trays. Bake for 12 mins. Turn discs. Use a clean tea towel to carefully press down on discs to flatten. Bake for 2 mins or until golden and puffed. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
2. Use small flower-shaped cutters to cut shapes from the reserved pastry. Place on a lined baking tray. Bake for 12 mins or until light golden and puffed. Cool.
3. Meanwhile, to make the caramel pears, melt the butter in a frying pan. Stir in the combined sugar. Remove from heat. Cut each pear quarter into 3 slices. Add to pan. Place over medium heat. Cook, turning, for 10 mins or until caramelised. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cool completely.
4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pear to a plate. Pour juices in bowl into a small saucepan. Place over medium heat. Cook for 5 mins or until caramel is reduced by half.
5. Place 1 pastry disc on a serving plate. Top with half the custard and half the pear. Drizzle with half the caramel and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat with remaining pastry discs, custard, pear, caramel and salt, finishing with a pastry disc. Decorate with pastry flowers, pistachio and icing sugar.