WARM PEAR BUCKLES WITH CLEMENTINE CREAM and CLEMENTINE POTS DE CREME

Cuties, they're not just for kids. These desserts are a grown up way to use the small, sweet fruit.

WARM PEAR BUCKLES WITH CLEMENTINE CREAM

1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 pounds firm but ripe pears, peeled, quartered, cored and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
zest and juice of one lemon
clementine cream (recipe to follow)

Whisk the flour, powdered sugar and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Using mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients, fold in just to blend. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball. Flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and chill for 2 hours.
Heat oven to 400F. Mix pears, cornstarch, ginger, 2/3 cup sugar and lemon zest and juice. Divide among ramekins.
Working with 1 dough disk at a time, roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a plate or cookie cutter 1/2 inch larger than the top of the ramekins as a guide, cut out rounds. Cut a 1-inch long slit in center of each round. Place dough rounds atop pear mixture in ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of  clementine cream.

CLEMENTINE CREAM
1 cup chilled cream
2 tablespoons fresh clementine juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated clementine peel

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until peaks form.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2010
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

CLEMENTINE POTS DE CREME

2 3/4 cups cream, divided
zest of 2 clementines, 1 finely grated, 1 cut into thin strips for garnish
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/2 cup whole milk

In a large saucepan, heat 2 1/4 cups cream over medium heat until warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Add finely grated clementine zest and chocolate chips. Remove from the heat and let steep 20 minutes, stirring a few times, until smooth.
Heat oven ot 300F. In a large bowl, whisk yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and milk. Set six 6-ounce ramekins in a large baking pan.
Set a strainer over bowl with yolk mixture and pour chocolate mixture through, pressing on the zest. Whisk well to throughly combine.
Pour into ramekins. Add very hot tap water to the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake until pots de creme are just set around edges and slightly jiggly in centers, about 40 minutes. Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
In a large bowl, whip remaining 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whip lightly to incorporate.
Place a dollop of whipped cream on each pot de creme, garnish with zest strips, and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oprah Magazine, February 2013
www.oprah.com/.../Oprah-Magazines-Best-Recipes-Top-...‎