Skillet-Roasted Pears with Caramel Sauce
April 27, 2008 posted by Linda Avery
by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated
from The Best Slow & Easy Recipes
(America’s Test Kitchen, 2008)
Serves 6
This dish is quite rich, so plan on serving just half of a pear per person. For the best texture, try to buy pears that are neither fully ripe nor rock-hard; choose those that yield just slightly when pressed. Trimming 1/4 inch off the bottom of each pear half allows them to stand up straight when serving, making a beautiful presentation.—Editors of Cook’s Illustrated
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Ingredients
3 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears (about 8 ounces each)
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
Salt
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Method
1. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack inside the prepared baking sheet, and set aside. Halve and core the pears. Trim 1/4 inch off the bottom of each pear half.
2. Add the water to a 12-inch nonstick skillet, then pour the sugar into the center of the pan (don’t let it hit the pan’s sides). Gently stir the sugar with a clean spatula to moisten it thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely and the liquid is bubbling, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the pears to the skillet, cut side down, cover, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook until the pears are almost tender (a fork inserted into the center of the pears meets slight resistance), 13 to 15 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to prevent the caramel from getting too dark.
4. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the sauce is golden brown and the cut sides of the pears are beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the heavy cream around the pears and cook, shaking the pan until the sauce is a smooth, deep caramel color and the cut sides of the pears are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Off the heat, transfer the pears, cut side up, to the prepared wire rack and let cool slightly. Season the sauce left in the pan with salt to taste, then transfer it to a small bowl. Carefully (the pears will still be hot) stand each pear half upright on individual plates or a serving platter, drizzle with the caramel sauce, and serve.
Recipe © 2008 by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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[Holly Grannan] Rich, delicious, and wonderfully seasonal. So easy to make and could be paired with a delicious ice cream or even a palmier or madeleine cookie. I’d make this again and work on the presentation aspect.
[Lila Ferrari] This was an easy dessert recipe that could stand up to either an elegant or simple meal. The recipe was easy to follow, and the poached pears were sweet and delicious, while the caramel sauce was smooth and not overly heavy nor sweet. My tasters loved the dessert.
[Theodore Wanberg] An extremely simple and elegant desert. It received rave reviews at a dinner party recently, despite my having to reconstitute the caramel sauce at the time of my serving it. The recipe would have been perfect had I not tried to make it ahead.
[Christine Sarkis] This was a relatively simple-to-prepare dish that offers a rich and comforting taste. Pan roasting infuses the pear with a ton of flavor, and serving it hot with warm caramel makes it a perfect cold-weather dessert.