Roasted Sugar-Glazed Pears

Name: Roasted Sugar-Glazed Pears
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 7 firm pears; 3 tbsp. rum; 2 tbsp. dried currants; 2 tbsp. golden raisins; 2 tbsp. light brown sugar; 2 tbsp. whole, blanched almonds, finely chopped; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. kosher salt; 1 (2"-piece) ginger, peeled and minced; Zest and juice of 1 lemon; Zest and juice of 1 orange; 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing; 1 ⁄ 2 cup sugar

Serves
serves 6

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BETH ROONEY

In this recipe, almonds, currants, and raisins are stuffed inside pears, which are roasted for a simple, yet elegant dessert. This recipe first appeared in our November 2012 issue along with Bernard L. Herman's story A Bountiful Shore.

Ingredients

7 firm pears
3 tbsp. rum
2 tbsp. dried currants
2 tbsp. golden raisins
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. whole, blanched almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¹⁄₄ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¹⁄₄ tsp. kosher salt
1 (2"-piece) ginger, peeled and minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
¹⁄₂ cup sugar

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Instructions

Step 1

Peel, core, and finely chop 1 pear and place it in a 2-qt. saucepan along with rum, currants, raisins, brown sugar, almonds, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and both zests and juices; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring, until mixture is soft and thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

Step 2

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" glass pie dish with butter; set aside. Combine remaining cinnamon with sugar in a bowl; set aside. Using a channel knife, cut a spiral pattern in the skin of each remaining pear from top to bottom, if you like. Carefully core each pear from the bottom with a melon baller, coring about 1½–2" deep. Divide stuffing among pears; brush outsides with butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Stand pears upright in the prepared dish, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar; bake until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Peel, core, and finely chop 1 pear and place it in a 2-qt. saucepan along with rum, currants, raisins, brown sugar, almonds, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and both zests and juices; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring, until mixture is soft and thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" glass pie dish with butter; set aside. Combine remaining cinnamon with sugar in a bowl; set aside. Using a channel knife, cut a spiral pattern in the skin of each remaining pear from top to bottom, if you like. Carefully core each pear from the bottom with a melon baller, coring about 1½–2" deep. Divide stuffing among pears; brush outsides with butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Stand pears upright in the prepared dish, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar; bake until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.