Pistachio Puff Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add egg; beat well. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny., Drop by rounded 1/4 cupfuls 3 in. apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Immediately split the puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard the soft dough from inside. Cool puffs., In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Just before serving, fill cream puffs and replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Steps:

• Combine pear halves and 1 cup dessert wine in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring wine to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until pears are just tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pear halves to paper towels and drain well. Boil pear poaching liquid in saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 7 minutes. Set glaze aside.
• Finely grind 2/3 cup unsalted pistachios and sugar in processor. Add unsalted butter and egg; blend just until filling is combined. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover pears and nut filling separately and refrigerate. Cover glaze and let stand at room temperature.)
• Unfold pastry sheets on work surface; press out folds. Using 4 1/4-inch scalloped round cookie cutter, cut out four rounds from each sheet. Using 3 1/2-inch round from cookie cutter, cut out one 3 1/2-inch round from each of four rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use); set pastry rings aside. Brush egg glaze over outer edges of four 4 1/4-inch solid rounds. Pierce rounds all over with fork. Top each with one pastry ring. Transfer pastries to baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and keep frozen).
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pastries 10 minutes, piercing centers with fork if centers rise. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Spoon 1/4 of nut filling into center of each pastry. Slice pear halves and arrange atop filling, covering completely. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool pastries at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Brush pears with glaze. Sprinkle chopped pistachios around pears. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.

Steps:

• Mix one small box of dry pudding mix, pineapple and nuts (if using) together.
• Add marshmallows and cool whip.
• Put in a pretty, clear serving bowl.
• Refrigerate for several hours before serving.