Jacques Torress Caramelized Pears Recipes

JACQUES TORRES'S CREPES WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a whisk attachment, mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half. Add the vanilla seeds, flour, citrus zests, and half of the milk and mix on medium speed until well incorporated. Add remaining milk and cream, continue to mix until the crepe batter is smooth and homogenous. If the batter is lumpy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Grease an 8-inch nonstick crepe pan (a nonstick frying pan will also work) with about 1 teaspoon of the butter and place over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, wipe away any excess butter with a paper towel. Then pour a small amount of crepe batter, about 2 tablespoons, into the pan and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly. The batter should barely cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until it browns around the edges, about 30 seconds. Use a large spatula or pancake turner to gently flip the crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Adjust the level of heat as needed. The crepe should be thin, light, and unevenly browned. Slide the crepe onto a plate and continue to make crepes until all of the batter is used. If the crepes begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, butter the pan again.
• Crepes may be stacked directly on top of each other and stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days, well-wrapped. Cold crepes may stick together; warm the crepes slightly in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds on high power, or in a moderate oven to separate easily.

JACQUES TORRES'S CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel, core and cut the pears into 1/2-inch-thick slices and then cut in half crosswise.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is warm, sprinkle the sugar into the pan in an even layer so it will caramelize at the same time. As soon as you see the sugar begin to melt, start moving the pan over the burner to keep the sugar from burning. Tilt the pan from side to side so that the melted sugar runs over the unmelted sugar. Cook until all of the sugar is a light golden brown. Add butter and cook until melted. Add pears and spread evenly in the pan. Pour in rum. Let cook over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pears are soft but not mushy. They should hold their shape but the tip of a paring knife should easily pierce them. If the pears are still hard when most of the liquid has evaporated, add a few tablespoons of water and continue cooking until the pears are done. Pour the caramelized pears onto a plate.
• To assemble the crepes, use a sharp paring knife to slice reserved vanilla pod halves into three strips lengthwise. If your vanilla bean halves are not wide enough to cut into three strips, just cut them in half lengthwise. These pieces will be used to tie the crepe bundles together. It is easiest to tie the bundles together if you have long, thin vanilla strips.
• Place one crepe on a clean work surface. Fill the center of the crepe with about 2 tablespoons of the caramelized pears. Fold the crepe in half so that it looks like a fan. Bring the ends of the fan towards the center and tie the bundle with a vanilla bean strip. Make eleven more crepe bundles. If you don't have enough vanilla bean strips you can just fold the crepes closed. Stand the crepe bundles upright in the center of the plates and serve.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a saute pan on medium, melt the butter then stir in the sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally until it begins to turn golden brown and caramelized. Add brandy and lemon juice to the pan and simmer to incorporate. Add pear slices and cook slowly to tenderize and caramelize.

SIMPLE CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Halve pears lengthwise; remove cores. (A melon baller removes cores easily, but a small spoon works, too.) Place sugar on a plate.
• Heat a large skillet over medium. Press cut side of each halved pear in sugar. Pressing the cut sides of pears in sugar before cooking helps them caramelize. Place cut side down in skillet (fit will be snug). Cook until beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup water. Cover; simmer until pears are tender, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on ripeness), adding more water if sugar begins to burn.
• If liquid in pan is thin, simmer until thickened to a saucelike consistency; if it is thick, add more water. Serve sauce over pears.

QUICK PEAR TART BY JACQUES PEPIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Put about 1Tbsp. butter on a sheet pan (I lined the sheet pan with nonstick aluminum foil first-worked great!). Put pan in preheated oven and melt butter. Thinly slice a pear that you've cored. Take pan with melted butter out of oven, put tortilla on butter, then flip over so bottom is greased. Put sliced pear on the tortilla, dot about a teaspoon butter on pear in little bits, sprinkle a little sugar on pear. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the pear is cooked through and the tortilla is lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven, cut into wedges and enjoy while still warm.

JACQUES PEPIN'S BRAISED PEARS IN CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise. Remove cores. Place pear halves flat side down in single layer in 1 or 2 large baking or gratin dishes. Sprinkle sugar over pears and dot with butter.
• Place in oven and bake 35 minutes. By this time sugar should have caramelized and pears should be tender when pierced with point of knife. If pears are not tender continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes. Pour cream over pears and return to oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, basting every 5 minutes with cream.
• Cream should have reduced and thickened and turned nice ivory color. If sauce seems to be separating, add a tablespoon or two of hot water.
• Remove pears from oven, allow to cool slightly. Serve directly from baking dish.

CARAMEL PEAR SLICES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pears, and toss to coat with butter. Sprinkle sugar over pears. Cook, stirring pears occasionally, until deep golden, about 30 minutes.
• Add lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy, about 3 minutes. Serve warm.

JACQUES' SUGAR CAGE

Steps:

• Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer, and cook the sugar mixture until it reaches 310 degrees to 320 degrees, what is known as the "hard-crack" stage. Remove pan from the heat, and carefully pour into a medium-size microwaveable glass bowl. If you leave the sugar in the pan, the sugar will continue to cook and will turn dark brown. (The sugar will stay liquid enough to work with easily for about 10 minutes; after that it will start to thicken. If this happens before you are finished, just pop the bowl in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sugar is liquid enough to work with once again.)
• Wash, dry, and lightly but thoroughly spray a clean, dry 5-quart Kitchen-Aid bowl with cooking spray. Dip the tines of a fork into the hot sugar. Carefully but quickly wave the fork over the inside of the bowl, allowing the sugar to drip off the fork in long, thin strands. Try to distribute the strands evenly on the side and bottom of the bowl, making sure the sugar reaches all the way to the rim of the bowl. When finished, you should still be able to see the bowl through the sugar.
• Use a sharp chef's knife to trim the edge of the cage clean by scraping the blade of the knife along the rim of the bowl. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.
• To unmold the cage, place your thumbs on the outside of the bowl and your fingers on the inside of the sugar cage. Gently pull the cage loose from the side and bottom of the bowl. Once the cage has been released from the bowl, carefully lift it out and place it over a dessert. If the sugar is still too warm, the cage may begin to collapse. Repeat with remaining sugar to form three more cages. At this stage, the cages can be stored, right side up, in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for 1 to 2 days.

QUICK & EASY CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add pears, one cut side down, and cook until browned, then reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes. Turn pears to other cut side and cook 4 minutes. Add sugar and 1 tablespoon water, swirling pan to combine. Turn pears skin side down and cook until sauce is thickened slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and pinch of salt. Serve warm with ice cream.