method

Poached pears

• Add the sugar and water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Turn down to a simmer and add the vanilla bean pod.
• Peel the pears and remove the hard core at the base of the pears. Leave the stem on so you can lift the pears out of the poaching liquid. Place pears into the simmering water.
• Cut out a circle of baking parchment and punch a few small holes to allow steam to escape. Carefully place the paper onto the surface of the pears. Place the lid on the saucepan.
• Gently simmer the pears for 45 minutes on low. Prod with a metal skewer at about 30 minutes into cooking time to test if they are soft enough, if not allow them to cook for the full 45 minutes..
• Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the pears to cool in the syrup completely.
• Slice the pears in half, remove the core and any seeds and then arrange like a fan.

Filo cases

• Preheat the oven to 180°c fan or 200°c normal oven. Grease a muffin tin very well
• Cut the filo pastry into equal squares, 8 squares per sheet.  Keep the filo pastry covered with a damp towel so it does not dry out whilst working with each filo case. 
• Place down one square in the greased tin, and gently push it to fit, brush very well with the melted butter and place the next square at an odd angle, again brushing with the melted butter between each layer, fluffing and arranging so they look good.
• Repeat this process for 4 layers for all the filo cases. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.  Allow them to cool in the tin completely before filling with the pecan nuts, yogurt and pears.
• Add a sprinkle of crushed pecans to the bottom of the filo cases and fill each case ¾ of the way with Greek style Salted caramel yogurt and top with the fanned out pears. 
• Drizzle with the melted chocolate, garnish with mint and serve