Chilean Pear Empanadas

Versión en español

Seldom do I publish a recipe that brings me so many memories. Pear empanadas were my favorite snack as a girl, my grandmother used to buy them, and we ate the empanadas with tea in the afternoon when I came home from school. In the 11 years I’ve been in the USA, I keep thinking of the empanadas, but I never found a recipe, even one close, for inspiration. Finally, I decided I was going to try and see what I was able to bake.

My husband laughs because I have a terrible memory for many things, I can see a movie a thousand times and have no idea what will happen at the end because I forget, but with flavors, it’s quite the opposite. I can evoke some dishes in my head like yesterday, and these empanadas are accurate; I feel like a girl again eating them… if someone grew up eating them, please make them. I have rarely felt such joy eating something.

You may also like the recipe: Chilean Alfajores.

Pear Empanadas, Chilean recipe

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Amazing sweet empanadas.

• Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

for the filling,

• 250 grams of dried pears
• 100 grams of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg

for the dough,

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup or 125 grams of cold butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg for brushing
• sugar

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, place the pears and mostly submerge them in boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes. Place over medium heat and add sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves.

   

2. Using a hand blender: grind the pears to a puree, add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook until it boils softly, and when you stir, you can see the bottom of the pot.
   
3. Allow cooling completely.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, add the chopped butter in small pieces, and work with two knives or the mixer’s paddle attachment until it looks like coarse sand.
   
5. Add eggs, sugar, milk, and pumpkin. Mix everything into a smooth dough.
6. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water until blended, 20 seconds.
7. Divide dough into 2 halves, place one half in the refrigerator. Roll the dough on a floured counter until a thickness of about 2-3 mm. Cut circles of 12 cm in diameter. Place a tablespoon of filling into the center. Wet the border with the egg wash, close, and make small indentations with a fork to seal. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
   
8. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C. Place empanadas on a parchment paper-covered or a greased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Use a fork to pierce each empanada.
   
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned up and down.
10. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and move to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Serve cold.
    

• Author: Pilar Hernandez
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Sweets
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Chilean

Keywords: pear empanadas, chilean cuisine