Don’t let my mediocre awful photo deter you from making these braised pears. I fear you will flee from the site and never return, but really this is delicious. Who would not like caramel and fruit? It is easy, with few ingredients, and you could make them early or have them fresh out of the oven by the time you have the dinner table cleared and the dishes done. Oh! Did I say it is a Jacques Pépin recipe.
This recipe should be filed under stupid easy, compliments from Chef Jacques Pépin. I feel Pépin has been a gift to all of us. All his books are wonderful, but his books these last few years are so helpful for my lifestyle. He makes fresh food uncomplicated. For us he has recognizes the new, discards anything that is too pretentious, yet holds on to the old that was worth keeping and blended the two. We are luckier for it. The things he shares with us is not too work intensive yet the quality is still present. Pears should be even in their ripeness. I love how he says to look at the size of the bubble caramel sauce – when the bubbles get smaller it is just about ready. Now why do I not know that? It makes so much sense yet when he says it all falls into place. If you can peel a pear, core a pear, halve a pear, sprinkle some sugar. Do you have a cup of whipping cream? You can make this dish.
Oh! and a side note warning and an apology. Please check your photo before you eat your project. I promise to replace with a better photo the next time I make these.
- 6 medium Anjou or Bartlett pears (not too ripe)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons crushed pistachios
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Peel the pears, split them lengthwise, and remove the cores. Arrange the flat side down in one layer in a large gratin dish. Sprinkle the sugar on top.
- Bake for about 35 minutes. By this time, the sugar should have dissolved in the pear juices and cooked into a caramel; the pears should be tender when pierced with the point of a knife. If the pears are still hard, cook for another 5 or 10 minutes. If the sugar is caramelized but the pears are not cooked, add ½ cup water to prevent the caramel from burning during this extra cooking period. On the other hand, if the pears are cooked through before the syrup is caramelized, remove the fruit to a plate and reduce the juice on top of the stove until it caramelizes.
- Add the cream to the dish and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, basting the pears every 5 minutes. The sauce should have reduced and thickened and be a nice ivory color. (Cooking the caramel with the cream will form a rich and delicious sauce.) Let cool. The sauce will thicken.
- Serve the pears cool at room temperature, with the sauce on top, sprinkled with the pistachios.
With just these few ingredients you will have one of the best desserts you ever put in your mouth.
Love the choice of pecans as garnish!