I’ve saved this very recipe for this very day with very good reason…
You know why?
Because…… it’s…… SCARY GOOD!!
Get it?
Scary good?
Halloween?
I’m just kidding – of course you get it.
But I am not kidding about how excellent this dessert is. Let me tell you a little story…
Some years ago, our neighbors and we would get together for food & wine pairing nights. Once a month or so we’d gather at one of our homes and bring along a dish and wine that complemented each other. We would share our bounty along with brilliant insight about our pairings. We came dressed in our imaginary sommelier hats and loved every minute of it.
Now, the night that Dom and I hosted, we thought it would be fun to pair a rich red with a chocolate dessert. So we purchased a chocolate fountain, and all the foody-accoutrement that we wanted for dipping. Do you remember those fountains? Do they even make them anymore?? Anyway – just as our guests were about to arrive we noticed that the beautiful cascade of molten chocolate, that had been flowing all afternoon as we prepared for our party, was no longer cascading but instead was pooling and hardening in the shiny bowls below…which meant our decadent dessert with our nice bottle of red now included marshmallows, strawberries and pound cake… sans chocolate.
However – little did I know – my fabulous friend Jamie – would soon save the day with her Ice Wine and Poached Pears with Caramel Sauce.
Dessert restored.
Our sweet friend, Jamie, moved to Tennessee six-ish years ago and truth is our neighborhood soirées declined following her family’s move. Of course, life’s natural ebb and flow has a lot to do with the amount of socializing we do, but truth is, our little street just wasn’t the same after this beautiful family left. Our kids were pals, my girls babysat her little ones, our husbands were buds, and she was and still is my sister-friend. Regardless of the miles between us, our families will be family forever.
And now I get to share her splendid recipe.
This actually is quite fun to make.
But even more fun to eat.
This particular caramel sauce is a perfect complement to the sweet pear which is a perfect complement to the Ice Wine that just so happened to be in my refrigerator. It was my lucky day…
Okay, so this wouldn’t be a proper Halloween post without a little spook, so I’ve saved the best, most scary pear picture, for the end. This warning comes as an alert…if your kids are in the room, you may want to ask them to leave. It’s pretty graphic.
See what I mean? Scary.
Enjoy the pears and enjoy your evening!
Have a safe and fun Halloween my friends!!
Buon Appetito!
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Poached Pears with Hot Caramel Cinnamon Sauce
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 almost ripe pears, stems on
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- In a large pan combine water, sugar and lemon.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Peel and core the pears, leaving the stems in tact.
- Add pears to the boiling syrup.
- Reduce heat and simmer gently.
- Cover with a lid and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn pears and let simmer for another 10 minutes until tender.
- In the meantime, mix sugar and flour in a small pot. Stir in the boiling water.
- Cook gently, stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
- Add butter and simmer for another 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the cinnamon and vanilla.
- Pour hot caramel sauce over pears.
{Caramel Sauce adapted from Spicehouse}
Ciao!
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[…] Poached Pears with Hot Caramel Cinnamon Sauce […]
hi there. Your pears look absolutely delicious and I’m making them for a dinner party this evening. As I have quite a lot to prepare, can you please let me know if I can do the pears in advance and maybe heat them up at the last minute? That would really help… especially if I can heat them in a microwave. I sound really lazy but I’m not. I just always feel so pressurised when I entertain and I have a serious problem with timing. I appreciate your respose. Thank you for your lovely recipes.
Hi Andreina, Thanks for your question. I will preface by saying I have never reheated them, so I cannot speak from experience – but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I’d go very slowly, a few seconds at a time, until you reach the desired warmth. Good luck with the pears, and have fun!!
I made these last night and they were so good 🙂 thank you for the simple and easy recipe!! I’m not sure how to add a photo sorry?
Yay! Thank you for stopping by with a kind word, Amanda! So sweet!
Hi Annie! First off, I’d like to say congrats on the marvelous recipe. I can’t wait to make it! However, being new to this, I have a couple of questions.
At what step do you take out the pairs?
or do i add it all in together with the sugar and flour and then butter and then cinnamon and vanilla? I’m confused :/
Thank you of your help.
Hi Mariana,
Thank you for your question. The pears will cook for 20 minutes total in their own pot. You’ll simmer them in the syrup for 10 minutes, then flip them for a final 10 minutes. In the meantime, in a separate smaller pot, you’ll prepare the caramel sauce. The pears and the sauce won’t meet until you’re ready to plate them.
I hope this helps! Please don’t hesitate to write again if you need further clarification.
Enjoy!
Annie
wow thank you for your quick response Annie. I think I just got even more excited to make them haha.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Oh my gosh…you are so welcome!! I’d love to know how you like them! You also have a wonderful holiday season!! Thanks Mariana!
I did it! I did it! My family was extremely impressed and I was so happy with the outcome. I wish I could post a picture along. It was the best dish out of everything that was made on Thanksgiving. Surprisingly easy and it looks so elegant. I can’t wait to try it again. Thank you once again!!
OH MY!! That is fabulous, Mariana! I wish you could post a picture , too! I’m sure it was a very rewarding moment when it all came together! Thank you for letting me know!
These look so beautiful! I’m normally not a pear person, but when they’re in this gorgeous sauce, it’s a different story. Delicious!
Thank you so much!! I think we could put that sauce on just about anything and it would be delicious! 🙂
Mmmm – I’d pass up hardening chocolate fountain for these pears ANY DAY (but you’re speaking to a girl who’s not that big on chocolate:) Also these pears with their caramel cinnamon sauce sound addicting!
So addicting! The poached pear without the sauce is very good… but that sauce…oh my! Thanks Sarah!
I’ve never made poached pears before but I’m thinking I’ll have to give it a try, they look delicious!
Let me know what you think! Thank you!!
I am in love with your food styling here and that beautiful little plate under the pear!!! Gorgeous! And it looks delicious too! Yuuummm.
Thank you so much Lindsey! I appreciate that!! 🙂
These look delicious!! I could eat them all! 🙂
Thanks Annie! 🙂
Lovely recipe. I cut my pears in half. Before the sauce ,I make multiple slices in the bottom of the pear, give a little press to fan it out. Very good.
Happy you enjoyed! Thank you!