Pear Clafoutis with Phyllo Crisps, Cider Sauce, and Quince Sorbet

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup almond flour 
• 6 small firm-ripe bosc pears (2 pounds total)
• 3 tablespoons butter plus additional unsalted for ramekins
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 large eggs 
• 6 large egg yolks 
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 3 sheets phyllo stacked and covered with 2 sheets of plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel (17- by )
• 6 servings accompaniments: cider sauce and quince sorbet 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup sugar 
• 3 tablespoons sugar plus additional for coating ramekins
• 5 tablespoons butter unsalted softened
• 2  vanilla beans halved lengthwise
• 2 cups milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• sieve
• ramekin
• hand mixer
• wax paper
• spatula

Directions

1. Arrange 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface (keep remaining sheets covered), then brush with some butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
2. Cut sheet in half crosswise to form 2 rectangles and crumple each into a peaked free-form round, about 4 inches in diameter.
3. Transfer to a baking sheet with a metal spatula and form 4 more crisps in same manner with remaining phyllo, butter, and sugar.
4. Let dry, uncovered, at room temperature at least 8 hours.
5. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
6. Bake crisps until golden, 2 to 4 minutes (watch closely, since they burn easily).
7. Transfer with spatula to a rack to cool.
8. Whisk together yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar in a metal bowl. Sift flour and cornstarch into bowl and whisk until combined well.
9. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans with a sharp knife into a small heavy saucepan, reserving pods for another use.
10. Add milk and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and bring to a boil.
11. Add hot milk to egg mixture in a stream, whisking, and transfer to saucepan. Simmer, whisking, 3 minutes, then remove pan from heat and whisk in butter.
12. Force pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper, 1 hour.
13. Beat together butter, sugar, flours, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
14. Add egg and beat well.
15. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.
16. Peel pears, then quarter lengthwise and core. Melt butter in a 12-inch ovenproof heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté pears, turning occasionally, 2 minutes.
17. Sprinkle sugar over pears and cook, turning occasionally, until sugar is melted and pears begin to turn pale golden, about 5 minutes.
18. Transfer skillet to oven and roast pears until very tender, 5 to 7 minutes, then cool to room temperature.
19. Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Butter ramekins generously and coat with sugar, knocking out excess.
20. Whisk pastry cream into almond cream until combined well.
21. Spread 1/4 cup cream evenly in bottom of 1 ramekin and top with 2 pieces of pear.
22. Spread another 1/4 cup cream over pears and top with 2 more pieces of pear. Repeat in remaining 5 ramekins. Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and bake clafoutis until puffed and golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in ramekins on a rack 1 hour.
23. Put 1 clafoutis (in ramekin) on each of 6 large plates and top each with a phyllo crisp.
24. Serve cider sauce and quince sorbet on the side.
25. ·Crisps can dry up to 24 hours before baking.·Crisps can be baked 6 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.·Pastry cream and almond cream can be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled separately, covered. Bring to room temperature before combining.·Clafoutis can be assembled 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.