Pear Tatin

Ingredients:
    2 firm pears
    4 whole star anise
    1 box puff pastry
    1/2 t vanilla extract
    1/2 C granulated sugar
    3/4 stick butter, cubed  (probably too much!)
    Splash of dark rum, cognac, brandy? (1.5 oz?)
    Powdered sugar, to cover tops

Hardware:
    cutting board for puff pastry
    10in cast iron pan (a heavy-bottom, oven-safe pan just big enough for 4 pear halves)
    lid for pan (for flambe)
    hemispherical 1/2 tsp measure

Steps:

1) roll out puff pastry, thawing as necessary

2) preheat oven 400F

3) Peal (optional) and halve pears. Scoop out seeds with a hemispherical 1/2 tsp measure. Insert anise into seed cavity.

3.5) (optional) cut pastry into four pieces and wrap the backs of each pear with dough. Trim excess, leaving 1/8 in overhang, wrap overhang around the front of pears. Place prepared pears in fridge.

4) scatter sugar in pan and cook over medium heat without stirring until sugar melts and browns, about 5 minutes

5) reduce heat to low, add vanilla and butter, stir until melted

6) add rum, quickly ignite, let alcohol burn off. Stir to loosen caramel.

7) add pears, cut-side down to pan (if you did not form fit it to the pears, add entire sheet of puff pastry to pan and squish down around the edges at this point)

8) dust pears with confectioners sugar

8) place pan in oven for 15 - 20 minutes (or whatever the pastry box says)