Poached Pear Pastry | culture: the word on cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1- pound sheet puff pastry (thawed)
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups whole milk or light cream (or a combination of the two)
• 6 egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola or other creamy blue cheese (rind removed, and crumbled)
• 2 cups ruby port
• 2 cups water
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 7 to 8 black peppercorns
• 4 to 5 whole cardamom pods
• 4 firm pears (try Bosc or Comice)