Pears with caramel

[Ishbel]

I have a lot of pears about the house at the moment... so I'm doing this for pudding tonight..

4 ripe medium-sized pears
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
4oz granulated sugar
1/2 pint (Imperial measurement) water
2oz butter


Heat oven to Gas mark 6 or 400F

Peel the pears, leaving the stalks on. Brush each pear with lemon juice. Place in an oven-proof dish. Dissolve the sugar in a quarter pint of water, then bring to the boil without stirring. Boil until the syrup becomes a light golden caramel. Remove from the heat. Quickly pour on the rest of the water, and stir over a gentle heat until the caramel has dissolved. Pour over the pears. Cover with a lid or aluminium foil and cook for 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven, until the pears are soft and translucent. Turn the pears in the syrup once or twice during the cooking time, so that they colour evenly. Carefully lift out the pears and stand them upright in a serving dish. Put the syrup in a saucepan and boil until it becomes thick, then add the butter in small pieces. Pour over the pears and leave to cool.

Serve either as they come, or with cream or ice-cream.

 

[PA Baker]

This sounds wonderful, Ishbel! I love fresh pears!

 

[Chef Cyril]

All of this with a nice chocolate sauce...hummmm :roll:

 

[Ishbel]

Chocolate sauce as well as caramel? No, that'd be overkill! 8)

 

[Haggis]

One of my favourite dessert recipes with pears is Macaroon Baked Pears.

Macaroon Baked Pears
--------------------
4 brown pears, halved and cored
40g butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 eggwhite

Preheat oven to 200'C. Place pears, cut-side up, in a baking dish. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Mix coconut with caster sugar and egg white. Remove pears from oven and divide macaroon mixture over the the pears, pressing down firmly. Return to oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden. Serve with cream or ice cream.

 

[Audeo]

Ishbel...Haggis....

A special thanks to you both. Pears are a dessert fruit I will never tire of, and they are so versatile, as you have both shown. I also like to poach mine in Earl Grey tea with apricots and cherries. Both of your recipes are calling me to do some baking, too!