Caramelized Roast Pears...A Simple Fall Dessert

Pin It

Dessert recipes don't have to be complicated and time consuming to be spectacular.  The recipe here is a case in point and one that can be prepared on the spur of the moment for a dinner in the middle of the week.

Buy a can of roasted caramelized pecans or toast some almonds in the oven to sprinkle on top.  The pears can bake while you are getting the rest of the dinner together.  Don't be tempted to add anything other than a drizzle of heavy cream.  It's really all you need.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 firm-ripe pears (any variety)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. honey
1/2 cup sweet dessert wine, such as a late-harvest Muscat or a Viognier Doux

Roasted Caramelized Pecans (crushed) or slivered almonds (optional)
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature, for serving

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Peel, halve, and core the pears.

Smear the butter over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish or small roasting pan. Set the pear halves cut side down in the dish.

Drizzle 1 tsp. of honey over each pear half. Pour in the sweet wine. Roast for 40 min.

Remove the dish from the oven and, using pot holders, tilt the dish so the juices pool in one corner. With a spoon, baste each pear with some of the juices.

Continue to roast until the juices cook down to a glazy consistency and the pears are very tender and take on a light toasted color, another 15 to 20 min.

Lift up the cut side of a pear; it should look nicely caramelized. Turn off the oven and leave the pears in the oven to keep warm until serving time (the liquid will continue to thicken and the pears will brown a bit more).

If the juices have completely evaporated at serving time, add a Tbs. or two of hot water to the pan and swirl to recreate a syrupy glaze. Drizzle the glaze over each pear. Add the pecans or almonds if you wish.

Serve warm and pass a pitcher of heavy cream to pour over. Leftovers are good eaten at room temperature or warmed gently.

Adapted From Fine Cooking      

January 1, 2006

English Trifle With Pears And Cherries

Pin It

English trifle is one of those desserts that looks like you have spent hours making it when in reality it is a very simple dessert to put together.  In this recipe all you will be actually making is the creme anglaise which takes about 10 minutes to make.  The rest is assembling ready made ingredients and waiting for them to get really cold. 

This recipe calls for pears and cherries, a great and festive combination, but you can really substitute any fruit you want.  If you have a good bakery near you, get their pound cake or sponge cake there.  If not, Sara Lee is pretty good. You can even use lady fingers if you want.

Sherry is the traditional wine for this dessert, but you can use rum, madeira or anything else that is similar.  As to the whipped cream, you can make it a couple of hours before serving, cover the top of the dish and stick it in the refrigerator.  It will keep.  Now, if you choose to cheat with ready made, fine, but I guarantee you it won't be the same!

You can cut this recipe down by making only two layers which should serve 6 to 8 people.  If you have extra sauce anglaise cover and refrigerate.  It should be good for 2-3 days and can be enjoyed with other fruits or meringues!

Serves 10 - 12

Ingredients:


1 cup dried tart cherries

3 Bartlett pears

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cups raspberry jam

1⁄4 cup warm water

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (see Note)

1  9-by-5-inch bakery pound cake (I recommend Sara Lee)

1 cup sherry (preferably amontillado or oloroso),
   Madeira or sweet Marsala

2 recipes crème anglaise*

For the whipped cream:

1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream

1 1⁄2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Make the Creme Anglaise first, as it will take 2-3 hours to cool

2.  Put the dried cherries in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand for at least 30 minutes to plump the cherries. Drain. Reserve about 2 Tbs. of the cherries for garnish.

3 Peel the pears, halve lengthwise, core and cut the pears crosswise into thin slices. Put them in a bowl, add the lemon juice and toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine the jam with the warm water and stir. Reserve about 2 Tbs. of the almonds for garnish.

4. Cut the cake into slices 1/2 inch thick. In a 2 1/2-quart trifle dish or deep glass bowl, make a layer of one-third of the cake slices, cutting and fitting them together as necessary. Sprinkle the cake layer with one-third of the sherry. Dollop one-third of the jam mixture over the cake. Sprinkle the jam with one-third each of the pears, cherries and almonds, in that order. Pour 1 1/3 cups of the crème anglaise over the top. Repeat to make 2 more layers.

5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the trifle for at least 2 hours or up to overnight

6. About 30 minutes before serving, make the whipped cream: In a deep bowl, using a balloon whisk, beat the cream, confectioners¿ sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spoon the cream over the top of the trifle. Garnish with the reserved cherries and almonds. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. To serve, scoop out large spoonfuls, going down to the bottom layer. Serves 10 to 12.

Note: To toast the slivered almonds, in a small, dry fry pan over medium-low heat, stir the almonds frequently until they are fragrant and begin to turn golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Creme Anglaise*

Ingredients:


2 cups milk

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1⁄4 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract


Directions:

Rinse the inside of a nonaluminum saucepan with water and shake out the excess water. Pour in the milk, place over medium-low heat and cook until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolk and sugar and whisk just until blended. Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk, then pour the egg mixture into the pan. Set over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not allow it to boil.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and let cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days.

Makes about 2 cups.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Christmas, by Carolyn Miller (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

Poires Babette...Pear Custard Gratin

Pin It

My love of pear desserts knows no bounds, so I am constantly on the prowl for new recipes to add to my repertoire. This morning, I came upon a marvelous dessert that I had made a long ago from a book that, unfortunately, is out of print--- The Cuisine of Normandy by Princess Marie Blanche de Broglie.  I think she still has her marvelous cooking school in Paris where, since 1975, she has been offering food-lovers the world-over the opportunity to discover French gastronomy and the art of entertaining, à la Française, in a traditional way that is adaptable to modern living.

In the early 70's she met Julia Child and one of her co-authors, Simone Beck, through a mutual friend.  Having graduated with the Grand Diplôme from the Cordon Bleu during the time when Madame Brassart (the same dreaded lady encountered by Julia Child in the 1950s) was head of the Cordon Bleu school, de Broglie was just getting launched on a culinary career of her own in Paris. She was introduced by columnist Suzanne Patterson, whom she had previously met at  house party near Antibes given by Marie-Blanche's uncle, Prince Louis de Polignac, first cousin of Ranier of Monaco.    She and Julia Child certainly had a lot in common and became good friends.  As Julia always encouraged cooking enthusiasts and professionals, she warmly encouraged Marie-Blanche - fluent in English - to expand her relationships and courses right into the U.S, an idea she seized on joyously. De Broglie was also thrilled to have a preface on her book The Cuisine of Normandy (1984) written by Simone Beck, the great cooking teacher whose roots were in Normandy and the rich produce and cuisine there.

If you have never been to Normandy or had its cuisine, you are in for a treat.  This is the land of apples and cider, luscious pears, butter and cream, Calvados, the famous chickens from Bresse, and all those rich buttery things that should make us fat but somehow don't when you live there.  Marvelous seafood as well as lamb.  We once rented a house in Normandy for two weeks and loved it.  Remember the post on Barfleur and the Moules Mariniere? 

This recipe is fairly light by Norman standards - no heavy cream or tons of butter.  So go for it!

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 C sugar
3 C water
3 to 4 pears
2 C milk
1/3 C plus 1 TB sugar
6 egg yolks
2 TB flour
2 TB rum or pear brandy
2 TB ground almonds
5 to 6 macaroons crushed (2/3 Cup)*
Powdered sugar (for garnish)

Method

To poach the pears, heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan. Peel, halve and core the pears and immerse them in the syrup.  Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until just tender.  Cool them in the syrup.

Bring the milk to a boil with 1 TB sugar and remove it from the heat.  Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar with flour in another saucepan until they are thick and lighter in color.  Pour the hot milk slowly over the mixture, stirring constantly.  Return the mixture to heat, bring it to a boil and cook stirring, 1 minute.  Remove the custard from the heat and flavor it to taste with the pear brandy or rum and ground almonds. 

Spread a thin layer of custard in a buttered ovenproof dish, top with a layer of sliced pears, and sprinkle the pears with macaroon crumbs.  Continue in this fashion forming 2 or 3 layers, ending with a layer of custard sprinkled heavily with macaroon crumbs.  (you may prepare the dessert a few hours ahead to this point).

When you are ready to serve, dust the top with powdered sugar and heat the custard in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Then run under the broiler to brown the top.  Serve hot or warm.

*I use almond macaroons or amaretti cookies which you can buy or make.

Thanksgiving Pear Chestnut and Sage Stuffing

Pin It

Whether to call the starch dish dressing or stuffing is a perennial debate at Thanksgiving tables. The term stuffing is usually used when it is cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is typically cooked in a baking pan. But the name also varies depending on what part of the United States you are from. People who hail from the East and South are more likely to call it dressing. Whatever term you use, the dish is a favorite on Thanksgiving tables from coast to coast.

I alternate between this delicious pear and chestnut stuffing, and another more traditional one with apples and sausage.  This year, the pears have it. 


Ingredients:

1-lb. loaf rustic country bread, torn into

1/2-inch pieces

1/2 lb. pork breakfast sausage, casings
removed

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 Bosc pear, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 cup peeled and chopped steamed or roasted
chestnuts

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/3 cup chopped fresh sage

4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

4 cups chicken or turkey stock

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Directions:

Spread the bread out on a baking sheet and let dry overnight.

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a large, shallow baking dish.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the sausage, stirring and crumbling with a fork, until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

In the same pan, melt the 1 Tbs. butter and add the onion, carrot, celery and pear. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the sausage. Add the chestnuts, parsley, sage, melted butter, stock, salt and pepper and stir to mix. Add the bread and stir to mix well.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared baking dish and bake until golden and crispy, about 1 hour. Serves 10 to 12.

Note: If desired, you can pack the dressing loosely in the body and neck cavities of the turkey. Secure the neck flap with kitchen string or pin it to the back with toothpicks or trussing pins. Tying the legs together will help hold the stuffing in the body cavity. For turkeys weighing 16 lb. or less, add 30 minutes to the total roasting time. For turkeys weighing more than 16 lb., add 1 hour to the total roasting time.

Adapted from Williams Sonoma

A Casual Halloween Dinner Party by the Lake

Pin It

Obviously, this year with the move and all the unpacking still going on, there will not be a Halloween dinner party! I have, though put one together for you in case you decide to bite the bullet and invite a few friends.  Very casual, no fuss, enjoy!  The recipes have been posted recently on the blog.

A Casual Halloween Dinner Party

Kentucky Beer Cheese

Braised Short Ribs

Creamy Polenta With Parmigiano
Rosemary and Parsley

Pear Crisp With Star Anise

Serve a hearty cabernet with the meal.

Harvest Pear Crisp with Star Anise

Pin It

Although I love warm apple desserts, I prefer pears any day of the year, particularly with a touch of Pernod or anise.  Bosc pears are my choice when I'm baking, although a combination of Bosc and Comice is excellent too.  The prince of eating pears is the Comice, with its very fine texture and sweet and juicy flesh. 

Did you know that pears do not ripen well on the tree and are the only fruit that must be picked green and ripened separately?  If left to ripen on the tree they turn to mealy mush.  Pears ripen from the inside out, too, so don't wait until they are soft all over...just look for some pear fragrance and some softness at the stem end.  This is particularly true of Bosc pears.  If you wait until they're ripe all over, you will also see dark bruises.

This dessert is wonderful for a family meal, particularly Sunday dinner.  If you want to dress it up, add some dried cranberries (1/2 cup) to the fruit.  Don't forget the ice cream!



Serves 6

Ingredients


5 Bosc pears

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 TB all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 star anise crushed

2 TB viognier white wine (optional)

For the topping:

2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

8 TB (1stick) cold unsalted butter, diced


Directions


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the pears into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, sugar, flour, crushed anise, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a greased oval baking dish.


For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, and oats in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse twice to mix.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is in large crumbles, about 5 or 6 times. Sprinkle in chunks evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is brown and the fruit juices have begun to bubble up and caramelize around the edges.  Remember it depends on your oven! add more time if needed. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.  When you are ready to serve, break through the crust with a large serving spoon and scoop the warm fruit, juices and topping into individual bowls or plates.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Note:  If you have some semi sweet wine opened, add it, if not you can skip it.  I happened to have some in the refrigerator and it added a nice touch!