Sugar Skull Pear with Cream Cheese Crepes

Combine cream cheese, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Electric mixers are recommended, unless you want a workout.

Lay each crepe flat, and spread on a thin layer of filling on each. Fold in half, and then fold in thirds.

Slice pear as close to the core as possible to get the tallest slice.

Use your favorite cookie cutters to make fun shapes with the other sliced fruit. Pineapple and kiwi work really well for this.

Place pear at center of crepes for the skull, and then decorate with the other fruit to make the facial expressions. Use sunflower seeds to make tiny teeth.

Decorate the rest of the crepes as deliciously as you want. We made an alternating pattern on ours, but this is a great step for everyone to get their hands on.

Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped. (The internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should read 170F.) If the crust looks like it is getting too brown for your liking towards the end of baking, you can tent it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.

While the bread is baking, make the glaze: Heat 1⁄4 c sugar together with the zest and juice of one small orange. Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If necessary, strain the glaze of any orange pulp and set the strained glaze aside.

When the bread is done, brush the warm loaf with the glaze and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Let the bread cool slightly before slicing. Serves 8 people.