Roasted pears are an unctuous autumnal treat— made even more sublime with the fragrant addition of mulling spices. Be sure to use pears that are slightly firm and not overly ripe. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat”. Indeed — and thus, we roast.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Pinch of sea salt
- 6 Bosc Pears
- 1 1/2 cups Apple or Pear Cider
- 1 tablespoon Mulling Spices
- 2 tablespoons pear brandy (We like American Fruits Bartlett Pear Liqueur) or more cider
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and salt; set aside. Coat each pear in soft butter and roll in sugar. Arrange in a small baking dish. Add apple or pear cider and mulling spices; bake for about 45 minutes, until pears are soft and deeply roasted. Gently transfer the pears to a serving dish.
- Prepare the sauce: on the stovetop, if using, add the pear brandy or cider and simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes until thickened. Carefully pass the sauce through a mesh strainer to remove the spices.
- Drizzle the sauce around the pears and serve with slightly softened vanilla ice cream and the roasted caramel pan sauce. Creme fraiche would work well, too. Serves 6
