This recipe from Iowa's Rapid Creek Cidery restaurant looks daunting, but it's actually five very simple parts that are easily made ahead. (You'll end up with extra candied nuts; they're great alone or with cheese.)

Source: Midwest Living

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Recipe Summary

hands-on:
50 mins
total:
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
6
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Ingredients

Nuts
Caramel
Yogurt
Pastry
Fruit

Directions

Nuts
  • For nuts: Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, beat egg white and water to stiff peaks. Fold in walnut pieces. Sprinkle with sugar, garam masala and the kosher salt. Stir to combine. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. Cool on a wire rack.

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Caramel
  • For caramel: In a small saucepan, combine dulce de leche and butter. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Add cream and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes to lightly thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon and the kosher salt.

Yogurt
  • For yogurt: In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey and vanilla bean paste.

Pastry
  • For pastry: Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry. Roll to a roughly 8x16-inch rectangle. (If package has two pastry sheets, stack them before rolling.) Cut into six rectangles. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and water; brush on pastry. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.

Fruit
  • For fruit: In a 12-inch nonreactive skillet, bring juice to a boil. Add apples, pear, sugar and garam masala; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until apples are very tender and mixture is syrupy, 12 to 15 minutes.

Assembly
  • To assemble: Spoon some yogurt on a plate. Top with a pastry rectangle, fruit, caramel and nuts.

*What is garam masala?

Garam masala is a common Indian spice blend. If you can't find it, use a big pinch cinnamon, plus a pinch each ground cloves, black pepper, cumin, coriander and nutmeg.

**What is vanilla bean paste?

Vanilla bean paste is an easy way to get vanilla flecks without the hassle or expense of scraping seeds from a vanilla bean. Look for it in specialty stores or online; Nielsen-Massey is a good brand.

***What is all-butter puff pastry?

All-butter puff pastry is extra flavorful and has fewer additives. Look for Dufour brand at Whole Foods. Trader Joe's sells a more affordable version, but only in the fall and holiday baking season.

Nutrition Facts

783 calories; fat 51g; cholesterol 141mg; saturated fat 26g; carbohydrates 71g; mono fat 6g; poly fat 9g; trans fatty acid 1g; insoluble fiber 4g; sugars 47g; protein 12g; vitamin a 1535.9IU; vitamin c 4.4mg; thiamin 0.1mg; riboflavin 0.1mg; niacin equivalents 0.3mg; vitamin b6 0.1mg; folate 25.6mcg; vitamin b12 0.1mcg; sodium 588mg; potassium 212mg; calcium 136mg; iron 2mg.
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