Gingersnap Caramel Pear Parfaits Recipes

PEAR-GINGERSNAP CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and set on a rack in the lower third of the oven; position another rack in the middle and preheat to 325 degrees F. Wrap the outside (bottom and side) of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. Make the crust: Pulse the gingersnaps in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan; set aside.
• Prepare the pears: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears, sprinkle with the granulated sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender and lightly browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the molasses and continue cooking until syrupy, about 2 more minutes; set aside.
• Make the filling: Beat the Neufchatel cheese and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and flour and beat until just combined, then add the sour cream and beat until smooth, about 1 more minute.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Gently arrange the pear slices on top; set aside any extra molasses syrup at room temperature for serving. Transfer the cheesecake to the oven, placing it on the middle rack directly over the water bath. Bake until lightly browned and set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 6 hours or overnight. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature 20 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edge and remove the springform ring. Drizzle with the remaining molasses syrup.

GINGERSNAP-CARAMEL PEAR PARFAITS

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a 9-by-13-inch pan in the preheating oven until nutty golden. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter in the pan, then place pears, cut sides down, over sugar. Bake until pears are tender when poked with a sharp knife and sauce is thick and caramel colored, about 40 minutes. Remove pears from sauce to a plate with a slotted spoon. Pour sauce in a measuring cup. (You should have about 1 cup of sauce. If not, simmer to reduce, or add water to equal 1 cup.) Cool pears and sauce to room temperature. (At this point, you can remove skin from the pears with a knife, if you want.) Cut each pear half into 8 chunks. When ready to assemble, whip cream into soft peaks, gradually adding sugar. Beat in 2 Tbs. of brandy. Set aside. Place 24 gingersnaps on a cookie sheet and lightly brush with some of the brandy. Work quickly; the cookies will soften in places, making them difficult to transfer. Arrange 3 cookies in each of 8 goblets. Drizzle each with some of the caramel sauce (about 1/3 cup total), a dollop of whipped cream and 4 pieces of pear. Lightly brush remaining 16 cookies with brandy and repeat layering with 2 cookies, 1/3 cup caramel sauce, whipped cream and 4 pieces of pear. Drizzle with remaining 1/3 cup caramel sauce, and cover each goblet with plastic wrap. Refrigerate parfaits and remaining whipped cream until serving time. To serve, garnish each goblet with a dollop of whipped cream and top with a couple slivers of candied ginger.

CARAMEL PEAR

Steps:

• In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, juice and simple syrup. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of pear.
• In a pot combine the sugar, water, and spices. Bring up to a simmer, stirring occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture thorough a strainer and discard the whole spices.

QUICK & EASY CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add pears, one cut side down, and cook until browned, then reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes. Turn pears to other cut side and cook 4 minutes. Add sugar and 1 tablespoon water, swirling pan to combine. Turn pears skin side down and cook until sauce is thickened slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and pinch of salt. Serve warm with ice cream.

GINGERSNAP CRUMB PEAR PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°., Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is light golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°., For topping, in a food processor, combine crushed cookies, flour, brown sugar and salt. Add butter; pulse until crumbly., For filling, in a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, ginger and salt. Add pears, lemon juice and vanilla; toss gently to combine. Transfer to crust; cover with topping., Place pie on a baking sheet; bake until topping is lightly browned and pears are tender, 60-70 minutes. Cover pie loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes if needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before serving. If desired, drizzle with caramel topping.

PEAR-GINGER PARFAIT

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine pears, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger, and apple juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 4 minutes until pears are crisp-tender. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
• Remove cinnamon stick and cloves before assembling the parfait.
• In a large bowl, whip cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, mix mascarpone with vanilla and maple syrup and fold into cream.
• Divide half the pears between 4 glasses and top with half the mascarpone mixture. Repeat layers with remaining pears and cream, and garnish with candied ginger and ginger cookies.

GINGERSNAP PEARS

Steps:

• Place pears in a large bowl.
• Sprinkle with flour and toss lightly to coat.
• Divide among 8 - 8 OZ custard cups.
• Combine the gingersnaps, walnuts and butter.
• Sprinkle over pears.
• Place custard cups on baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
• Serve with vanilla icecream or plain with a dallop of whip cream on top.

GINGERSNAP PEAR TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1/2 in. up the sides of a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 5-8 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheeses until smooth. Beat in 1/3 cup sugar, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. , In a small combine the pears, cinnamon and remaining sugar; arrange pear slices over cream cheese mixture. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until almost set. Immediately run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers.

GINGER PEAR CRISP

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix gingersnap crumbs, flour, brown sugar, nuts (or oatmeal) and butter in a medium bowl; set aside. Place pears in a medium bowl.
• Bring 1 cup of the pear syrup, 1/4 cup sugar, ginger and cloves to boil in a small saucepan. Whisk cornstarch into remaining 2 Tbs. pear juice, then whisk it into boiling syrup; continue to simmer until thick, less than a minute. Pour over pears, toss to coat and turn into a 9-inch square baking pan.
• Sprinkle crumble clusters over pears. Bake until topping is golden and pears are bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool until warm and serve.