Baked Vanilla Pears With Figs Recipes

BAKED VANILLA PEARS WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and set one half aside. Scrape seeds from other half into a small saucepan, and add the pod, 1/4 cup sugar, and the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes to infuse vanilla flavor into syrup. Strain and set aside.
• Peel pears, and cut in half lengthwise, leaving stems on. Cut out core, scooping out a little extra flesh. Trim off a little flesh on round side so that halves will lie nicely on a plate.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and stir until melted. Add pears, cut side down, and cook until brown, shaking pan occasionally. Turn over and cook a few minutes more. Transfer to a baking dish, and pour vanilla syrup over pears. Add other half of vanilla bean. Slice figs lengthwise and put 1 or 2 slices in center of each pear. Spoon a little syrup over figs and bake until soft and tender, about 30 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears. Serve hot or warm.

VANILLA POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the white wine, water, sugar and vanilla bean and pulp into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
• Core the pears from the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and place in the refrigerator.
• Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, increase the heat to high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup of liquid, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the syrup to turn brown. Place the syrup in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove the pears from the refrigerator, spoon the sauce over the pears and serve.

ROASTED PEARS WITH BROWN SUGAR AND VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the pears cut side up in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Whisk the apple juice and sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the butter. Pour the sauce over the pears. Bake until the pears are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, basting occasionally with the juices, about 35 minutes.
• Spoon the pears onto plates. Top with ice cream. Drizzle with any juices and serve.
• The pears can also be served frozen. To do so, cool the pears, then place them in the freezer until frozen solid, about 8 hours.

BAKED PEARS WITH VANILLA MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove the seeds from the bottom. Peel the upper half, leaving the stem intact; pat dry with a paper towel. Rub butter over the peeled part of each pear; stand the pears in a small baking dish (about 7 × 11 inches). Sprinkle with the sugar.
• Pour the wine into the baking dish; add the thyme sprigs, if using. Bake until the pears are soft when pierced with a paring knife and well browned, about 45 minutes; using a small spoon, baste the pears occasionally with the wine, adding a bit of water as needed to prevent the liquid from evaporating. Remove from the oven.
• Spoon some of the pan juices into each serving dish, and place a pear on top. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and several biscotti on the side.
• Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and stir together with a wooden spoon.

ROASTED SPICED PEARS AND FIGS WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• In an ovenproof 10-inch heavy skillet toast almonds in one layer in middle of oven until golden, about 5 minutes, and transfer to a bowl.
• Halve pears lengthwise and cut each half into 3 wedges, discarding cores. Quarter figs lengthwise.
• In skillet melt sugar and butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted completely and remove skillet from heat. With a knife halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into butter mixture. With a wooden spoon stir in vanilla pod, cinnamon, allspice, pears, and figs until coated and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until pears are just tender. Remove pod and with spoon stir in almonds until coated well.
• Serve fruit mixture warm with sour cream.

FIG-GLAZED BOSC PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a baking sheet.
• Arrange the pear quarters on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle all but 1 tablespoon of the honey over the pears; set the reserved honey aside.
• Stir the fig preserves, pomegranate molasses, and cinnamon together in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a simmer until ready to use.
• Bake the pears in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Brush the fig glaze over the baked pears. Continue baking until firm on the outside, but tender inside, 25 to 35 minutes more. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
• While the pears cool, whip the cream, almond extract, and reserved honey together with a hand mixer in a large glass or metal mixing bowl until thick. Dollop the whipped cream mixture over the pears to serve.

BAKED PEARS WITH VANILLA YOGURT AND GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove core with a melon baller or small spoon. Place pears, cut side down, in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them.
• Pour apple juice and water over pears; drizzle with honey. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake about 35 minutes or until tender. While pears are baking, place granola in a shallow baking pan or pie plate and toast in oven 10 minutes; set aside.
• When pears are done, pour baking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of syrup remains; set aside to cool.
• Line a colander with paper towels and place over bowl to catch drips. Pour yogurt into colander and allow to drain about 30 minutes. Divide yogurt among 4 shallow bowls. Place warm pear half, cut side up, over yogurt. Top with toasted granola and drizzle with syrup. Garnish with a mint leaf, if desired.