Caramel is the trendiest ingredient. With the addition of salt and soy, it is even used to dress up fish. My latest obsession is to coat pears with it. I admit to experimenting with this recipe many times before I was satisfied with the result, but even the imperfectly coated pears were delicious.
I was hoping to make the caramel in the same pan the pears baked in, but that didn’t happen. Instead, after the pears are baked, you need to transfer the juices to a small saucepan and reduce them with some cream until thick enough to coat the pears. The amount of cream is really up to you—a little more or less will work, too.
First cut the pears in half through the stem end, core and cut out the stem. If you want to fancy them up to look like the photo, make cuts about 1/3-inches apart almost, but not completely through the pear. You still want each half to be in one piece. I do this only because I like the way they look after they are baked. The same with the sugar and cinnamon I sprinkle on top before baking. I like the way it gives them a beautiful bronze glow.
Although I prefer Bartletts, D’anjou also work well. To test for ripeness, press gently near the stem. You don’t want them ripe. Once they have turned yellow, they are too ripe to bake. If they are very firm and green, keep them on the counter overnight. They ripen very quickly at room temperature.
So, before pears are replaced by peaches, grab some firm, but ripe ones, and bake up this recipe. You can always use caramel ice cream topping, but then what would you do with all those delicious juices the pears exude during baking?
Make cuts almost, but not all the way through the pears. This gives them an attractive appearance once baked.
Baked Pears in Caramel Sauce
2 large ripe but firm pears, Bartlett preferred
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup whipping cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel pears, cut in half lengthwise, and remove cores. Lay each half-cut side down. Slice the pear almost, but not entirely through to the bottom. This gives them an attractive look after baking.
3. Melt butter in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the pears lightly with butter.
4. Stir brown sugar, and vanilla into remaining butter. Spread on the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
5. Arrange pears cut side down in brown sugar.
6. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over tops of pears.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until pears are tender when tested with a knife. Remove pears to plates.
8. Pour syrup into a small saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil. Boil slowly until thickened slightly. Spoon over pears.
Makes 4 servings.
