Golden Pears With Spiced Maple Granita Recipes

GOLDEN PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the maple syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium saucepan.
• Over medium heat cook the syrup, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
• Set aside.
• Peel the pears, cut in half lengthwise and core.
• Place in a 3 quart baking dish.
• Pour on the syrup, turning pears to coat.
• Bake in the pre heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until pears are just soft.
• Turn the pears a few times to coat and remove to a baking sheet.
• Add a little water to thin the syrup and set aside.
• Place one slice of cheese on each pear half.
• Combine the 1/4 cup coconut with the brown sugar and butter.
• Mix well.
• Sprinkle on top of pears and cheese.
• Broil until the cheese is melted and the topping is a nice golden brown.
• Place two halves on a dessert plate and drizzle syrup on top.
• Repeat with the remaining halves.
• Serve warm.

ROASTED CARAMELIZED PEARS WITH SPICED WALNUT GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl stir to combine the walnuts, rolled oats, chili powder, salt, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and olive oil. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes turning twice for a golden crunch. Remove and allow to cool.
• In a large oven safe sauté pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Place pears in pan, cut side down, and cook until golden and caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Add cranberries, 1/2 cup maple syrup, juice and zest of 1/2 orange and allspice to the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake or 30 minutes or until cooked through. Turn the pears half way through the baking time and baste with pan juices.
• Spread yogurt onto a serving plate or platter and top with pears and cranberries. Sprinkle spiced walnut granola over the pears and drizzle with orange maple pan sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs to serve.

PEAR GRANITA

Steps:

• Quarter the pears, peel them, and remove the cores. Dice the pears into 1-inch (3-cm) pieces. Put them in a medium-sized, nonreactive saucepan with the water and sugar and cook over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until completely soft, about 8 minutes. A knife inserted into a pear chunk should meet no resistance.
• Cool to room temperature, then purée the pears and their liquid in a blender or food processor until smooth. Freeze according to the instructions for freezing granita on page 145.
• Serve Pear Granita with Chocolate Sorbet (page 120) or Chocolate Ice Cream, Philadelphia-Style (page 28).

PORT-AND-SPICE POACHED PEARS WITH GRANITA

Steps:

• Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit inside a wide 4-quart heavy pot.
• Bring grape juice, Port, sugar, spices, and 1 cup water to a boil in pot over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add pears, arranging them on their sides in 1 layer (pears will not be covered by liquid). Cover pears directly with round of parchment. Reduce heat to low and poach pears, turning occasionally, until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let pears steep in liquid, covered with parchment, turning occasionally, at least 2 hours and up to 3.
• Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a shallow dish, reserving poaching liquid. Let pears stand at room temperature or chill, covered with parchment.
• Pour poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (discard spices) and return to pot. Boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup water. Pour liquid into an 8- to 9-inch square baking pan (not nonstick).
• Freeze liquid 1 1/2 hours, then scrape and stir with a fork, crushing any lumps. Repeat, scraping every hour until evenly frozen, about 4 hours more.
• Bring chilled pears to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes.
• Cut a thin slice from bottom of each pear, then stand pears upright on chilled plates. Scrape granita, then serve pears with granita and créme fraîche.