8 4oz Dole Diced pears fruit bowls
1-2 10oz Dole Frozen Mixed Berries w/Pomegranates
1 17.3oz Frozen Puffed Pastry or 3 sheets rolled out pie dough
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream, divided
½ Cup white sugar, divided
½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
½ Cup Pear or Berry Juice
¼ tsp ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
¼ tsp Ground Star Anise
¼ tsp Ground Cloves
2 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp blackberry or fig jam
1-2 Fresh pears (optional)
8 tsp Cojita or blue cheese crumbles
¼ Cup chopped cinnamon pecans
¼ Cup chopped praline pecans
½ Cup dole diced dates
3 Tbsp cream cheese
½ cup Dole diced dates
3 Tbsp cream cheese
½ Cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ Cup Caramel sauce
Kosher Salt
8 caramelized pear chips
8 3½ in Cast Iron Skillets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface roll out both sheets or thawed puff pastry or pie dough sheets and Cut 3 inch circles with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Makes 8 puff pastry rounds Or pie dough rounds. Put rounds on a parchment covered baking sheet. If using pie crust, fork it well. Brush some of the cream over tops of each round and shrink with sugar. If using puff pastry then bake according to puff pastry box directions Or if using pie dough, bake until slightly golden and done about 8 minutes or more. When done remove from oven and cool. Drain defrosted berry medley well and set aside juices. Remove the strawberries and save for another use. Pour fruit into a large skillet. Drain the pear cups and reserve juice in another small bowl and set juice aside. Pour pears into the skillet with berries. Into the skillet put the ½ C brown sugar, ½ C pear juice or Berry juice or both, spices and butter. Bring to a boil and stir. Lower heat to a simmer until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning w/more spices, sugar, salt as needed. Add cayenne pepper starting w/ ¼ tsp if desired.. or more for added heat. In another bowl beat whipped cream and add ½ C powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold in softened cream cheese. Set aside. Mix the chopped pecans and dates together and set aside. To make skillet pies place 1 round of baked pie dough or ½ horizontally sliced round of puff pastry. Spoon hot berry pear mixture on top of pastry round. Sprinkle 1 tsp of either cojita or blue cheese over hot fruit and let sit until it melts and fruit cools down. Put another pastry round with the sugared side up on top of each skillet of fruit. Put whipped cream mixture into a piping bag and pipe swirls of whipped cream on top of sugar pastry rounds. Drizzle caramel sauce over top of each mound of whipped cream. Sprinkle w/a few grains of kosher salt. Then sprinkle about a Tbsp of the date/nut mixture over top. Put a caramelized pear chip on top to garnish. If desired add a few of the well drained berries or fresh berries if desired to side of pear chip. Makes 8 skillet pies. Enjoy!