Active Time

　　1 hr

　　Total Time

　　1 hr

　　Though you need only 10 cloaks to top the pears, these melt-in-your-mouth wafers are so delicious, your guests will clamor for seconds. If you don't have time to turn the wafers into cloaks, simply make flat tuiles and serve them on the side.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 40 wafers

　　1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)

　　1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

　　2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

　　1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

　　1 large egg white, at room temperature for 30 minutes

　　1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

　　

Special Equipment

2 nonstick baking sheets or shallow baking pans; a muffin tin with 6 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

　　

Step 1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter baking sheets.

　　

Step 2

Stir together cheese, flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix together butter and egg white in a blender at low speed, then add milk and cheese mixture and blend just until smooth.

　　

Step 3

Working in batches of 6, drop scant teaspoons of batter about 3 inches apart onto a buttered baking sheet. Spread each dollop with the back of a spoon into a 3-inch round (don't worry if batter doesn't spread evenly). Make a 1/2-inch hole in center of each round with your fingertip.

　　

Step 4

Bake wafers, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, about 5 minutes. To form cloaks, immediately remove wafers with a very thin metal spatula and drape into muffin cups. (Wafers will crisp as they cool.) If wafers harden before draping, return to oven for a few seconds to soften. Cool baking sheets between batches and rebutter sheets only if wafers begin to stick. Make more wafers in same manner.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Onions can be fried 6 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.