Pear Pine Nut Conserve Recipes

PEAR CAKE WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spread pine nuts in ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Cool.
• Spray 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like coarse meal. Remove 1/3 cup flour mixture to small bowl. Stir in cinnamon and toasted pine nuts; set aside.
• To remaining flour mixture in large bowl, add sour cream, milk, lemon peel, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and egg. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour batter into cake pan. Arrange pear slices over batter. Sprinkle with reserved pine nut mixture.
• Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack.

PEAR CONSERVE

Steps:

• Peel, halve and core your pears.
• Dice the pears finely, but not as small as brunoise. I am not going to go into detail here, but one thing I must say is keep your peeled pears submerged in a bowl of water and lemon juice so that they do not oxidize (turn brown).
• In a large, non-reactive (glass, plastic, ceramic) container, layer the sugar and the diced pears. Start with a thin layer of sugar on the bottom and end with sugar covering the top.
• Drizzle the lemon juice over the top layer.
• Close this container tightly and refrigerate overnight (for at least 18 and up to 24 hours).
• Next day, pour out the pears and the syrup they have formed into a deep pot.
• Scrape out the bottom layer of sugar into your pot as well.
• Bring this mix to a boil over high heat, uncovered, stirring.
• When the conserve is quite hot but not boiling, add the pear brandy. It should boil all at once. Stir well.
• Boil the conserve to thicken it and expel alcohol. For true, syrupy conserve, do not overcook. Boil for a scant 3 - 5 minutes. The conserve is done.
• The conserve can be waterbath canned. Properly prepared 6 - 8 oz glass containers should be processed for 10 minutes.

PEAR PRESERVES

Steps:

• In a stockpot, combine pears, sugar, water and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until mixture reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. , Remove from heat. Ladle hot mixture into seven hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

APPLE-WALNUT MAPLE CONSERVE

Steps:

• In a stockpot, combine apples, sugars, maple syrup, cinnamon and pie spice; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 20-30 minutes or until apples are tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts. Return to a boil; cook and stir 5 minutes longer., Carefully ladle hot mixture into 11 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.