Sweet Pear Dumplings

Ingredients
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from 17.3-ounce box)
8 ripe small pears, peeled, cored and bottoms cut off
3 tablespoons butter
1 large egg white, beaten
...
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Combine 1 cup sugar, water and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.
2. Roll each puff pastry sheet on work surface to 12-inch square. Cut each sheet into 4 squares. Place 1 pear in center of each pastry square. Dot each pear with about 1 teaspoon butter. Bring corners of pastry squares up to tops of pears; press edges to seal. Place in a 13-x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Pour the sugar mixture around the dumplings. Brush dumplings with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
4. Bake dumplings until they are light golden and pears are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve dumplings warm with sauce.
makes 8 servings
Helpful Hints
Be sure to use pears that are slightly soft and ripe. If the pears are hard, poach them in boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes. Cool them before using.
Mix 'n' Match
For apple dumplings, use cored, peeled apples, and add about 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg with the cinnamon.