WARM PEAR SHORTCAKES WITH BRANDIED CREAM

Warm Pear Shortcakes with Brandied Cream image

Yield Serves 12

Number Of Ingredients 17

For biscuits
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten to blend
For pears
8 firm but ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
5 tablespoons poire Williams (clear pear brandy) or brandy

Steps:

Make biscuits:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sift both flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into large bowl. Add butter. Rub in with fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir to blend. Gather dough into ball.
Gently knead dough on floured surface until dough holds together. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using 3-inch-diameter star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out biscuits. Gather dough scraps, reroll and cut out additional biscuits, making total of 24. Arrange biscuits on 2 baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
Brush tops of biscuits with egg. Bake until biscuits puff and are light golden, about 12 minutes. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil. Reheat foil-wrapped biscuits in 350°F. oven about 10 minutes before using.)
Make pears:
Toss pears with lemon juice in large bowl. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pear mixture and sauté until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Remove pear mixture from heat. Add whipping cream and brown sugar, then pear brandy. Bring mixture to boil. Cook until pears are tender and sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Divide pear mixture among 12 bowls. Top with warm biscuits and serve.