Stack Attack

The Age

Tuesday May 31, 2005

Tony Chiodo

BAKERS are born, not made. You either have it, or you fake it. I've always faked it. The thought of being exact and precise only drives me to eat more bread. Whether in Melbourne or overseas, I have a nose for artisan bakeries, where you'll find me lingering for hours eating, drinking and writing. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

This assignment gives me an entry through the back door of the boutique Loafers Bakery in Malvern East, where I spend time with one of the most natural-born bakers I've ever encountered, Mara Szoeke.

Mara created a pear stack: lush, juicy and delicious at every bite. It sounded interesting, maybe complicated, but was actually a breeze. Interestingly, the recipe contains butter and olive oil, sugar and honey. The results are worth it.

Loafers' Le Pear Stack

INGREDIENTS

Make the pastry the day before and refrigerate overnight for assured success. Or use good quality bought puff pastry.

Pastry

500g unbleached white flour

10g fine sea salt

10g castor sugar

175g cold, unsalted butter, diced

125ml cold water

2 tbs cold-pressed olive oil

Topping

4-5 firm to medium beurre bosc pears. Core and slice into medium-thin rounds

? cup castor sugar

Glaze

? cup honey

75g unsalted butter

1 tbs water

METHOD

- Pastry: Place flour, salt, sugar and butter into food processor and pulse until it resembles course breadcrumbs. Add water and olive oil and pulse a few more times until it forms a ball. Turn onto a floured bench and knead until smooth (around 3 minutes). You may need extra flour as this pastry is quite wet. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

- Glaze: Place all ingredients into a heavy-based deep pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens slightly (about 7 minutes). Use while warm and reheat for each application.

- Next day: Roll the pastry to about a 3mm thickness on a floured bench. Cut into rounds (approximately 24 discs) about the same diameter as the pear rounds. Place the rounds onto a lined baking tray about 2cm apart. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Place a slice of pear on each disc of pastry. Brush with the glaze. Place the tray into a pre-heated oven (190C) and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bases are golden. Remove from oven and brush pears with warm glaze.

- To assemble: Place one disc of baked pear pastry on top of another, and and flip a third upside down (so the pastry is on top). Repeat. To finish: Top each stack with more glaze. Serve warm with double cream or good vanilla ice cream.

Makes: eight stacks

© 2005 The Age

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