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To be orchard-less in the Burgundy countryside would be a crime. Most everyone has a pear, a plum, an apple, a peach tree. Even in my friend Ellen’s formal garden there is a pear tree espaliered along one of her pretty parterres.
In the autumn markets pears have turned up in all their colorful glory: rosy and glowing, golden yellow or earthy green. A big basket of them adorning the kitchen table promises good things to come. So what to do with this bounty?
I’ve been cooking a bit with pears this week, and experimenting with roasting them. Roasting softens the pear and releases its juices. And that latter part is the most interesting–the juice that comes from a roasted pear has an intense flavor that will put you right over the moon.
In most any recipe where you need a cooked pear, you can roast them. I made a version of my friend Dee’s fabulous Apple Cake, from our November 2011 post, but with roasted pears. Some of the concentrated roasting juices went right into the cake batter, for a more intense pear flavor.
My favorite use for that scrumptious roasted jus de poire it to incorporate it in a homemade caramel sauce.
Ellen, who made poached pears with some of her harvest, gave me a jar of the leftover poaching liquid to sweeten my tea. I like it in my espresso, too. Now that’s a creative idea worth stealing!
All the recipes are below, and they’re my new favorite fall desserts du jour.
RECIPES: Roasted Pear Sundaes with Rum Raisin Ice Cream and Pear-Caramel Sauce
Dee’s Apple Roasted Pear Cake
Ellen’s Pear Tea
To roast pears, cut 2 lbs. (900 gr) firm pears into thick slices. Toss them in a bowl with the juice of a lemon and a tablespoon of sugar. Spread them out on a jelly-roll pan lined with a Silpat. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until they’re tender and give off their juices. Drain juices and reserve; cool pears. I got a half cup liquid, but it may depend on the type of pear.
For the Pear Sundaes, I used the Better Homes & Gardens easy Caramel Sauce recipe, but I subsitututed the roasted pear juices for the water (I also used light cream instead of heavy, which worked fine). I served the roasted pears over rum raisin ice cream (use vanilla or caramel ice cream if you prefer), and topped it with the pears and the caramel sauce, plus pecans.
For Dee’s Apple Pear Cake, make her recipe as directed except: roast 2 lb. (900 gr) of pears, as above. When making batter, add a couple of tablespoons of roasted pear syrup to batter. Pour half the batter in the pan, top with half the pear slices, spread remaining batter over. Arrange remaining pear slices around top and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar. Make caramel sauce recipe as above, if desired, with remaining reserved pear juices.
For Ellen's Pear Tea or espresso, use the roasted pear juices to sweeten your tea/coffee. Or do as she did and make poached pears and then use the syrup (it makes a much larger quantity of syrup): In a saucepan just large enough for 4 pears, put a bottle of white or red wine, a cup of sugar, ½ cup juice, ½ cup water, cinnamon sticks, a couple of whole cloves, and an orange or lemon peel (you can substitute more water/juice for the wine if you prefer). Bring to a boil. Add 4 peeled, whole pears, stems left on, and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool and chill overnight, leaving pears to marinate in liquid. To serve, remove pears and reduce liquid by a third or more until it thickens a bit, 10-15 minutes. Serve pears with ice cream, drizzled with a little syrup. Save remaining syrup and add a sweet spoonful to your afternoon tea.
In the COMMENTS: Ken from NC, welcome, even if you're from the wrong side of that Carolina border. But use polenta for grits, never! I make my friends bring grits over when they come. (Ken blogs at Living the Life in Saint-Aignan, check out his Savarin cake). Sue and Linda have great pesto tips. Natalia, we have family in Phoenix, can't believe Camelback Road was ever dirt!
Our Reader's Blogs: Over at A Small Village in France, Tom Vieth has new paintings posted for sale. If you want affordable, whimsical art that evokes the French countryside, you'll want to take a look at his work (he's even got some tea towels printed with his paintings, which would be great framed!). And if you happen to live in the northeast area of the US, he's got several shows coming up, check the schedule here.
9 thoughts on “French Pears: Over the Moon with a Spoon”
My daughter Gabriella was to arrive into Melbourne at 6 am and last night she phones from HonkKong saying some very unconsidered birds flew into her Qantas engine and there was to be a long delay.So what do I do when I,am down,I cook..Thank Dee & Ellen I made both and it smells fantastic.I will give her pear tea when she arrives.
On the way back from the airport I will pick up some Australian thick cream that we do not get in France to have with the cake.regards Mariella
Great minds think alike Lynn, I have made that cake with pears as well and added stem ginger to the mix. The ginger works well with the pears
I wish I could successfully grow pears here in VA. I had grand visions of an espaliered one, but something always gets the fruit…wasps, squirrels, too much rain, no rain…sigh. I shall live vicariously through the farmer’s market and console myself with that delicious looking cake recipe!
I live in New England and a few days ago my uncle gave me a bag full of pears that he had picked from his tree. I have been searching for some recipe that I could use them in. Just when I least expect it, you post these delicious sounding pear creations on your blog! I will most definitely be baking a luscious pear cake and poaching up some rosy pears this weekend. Thanks for the ideas!Michelle
Over The Moon With A Spoon is right! These beautiful French pears and fantastic recipes have me drooling! SO Yummy! (MAJOR understatement!)
Thanks,Lynn,for another wonderful post!
Our weekend is off to THE best start!!!
Lynn,
My husband and I and a friend are ensconced in Lagnes for the month (through end of October), and sure enough, everywhere we look there are pears cooked into some fabulous concoction–much of which we’ve enjoyed. What a lovely fruit.
November and December, we’ll be just north of Bayonne where I hope to get a lot of writing done as here in the Vaucluse, we’re introducing my friend to France with busy days and much to see. You might be interested to know that today, we spent a few hours at the Salinger Museum at La Bastide Rose in Le Thor. We were greeted in the parking lot by none other than Poppy Salinger. What a memorable visit. If you haven’t visited, I recommend you give it a try next time you’re in the area.
Best regards,
Chris
Your post regarding pear orchards reminds me of one of the most charming children’s books ever, THE BEAST OF MONSIEUR RACINE by Tomi Ungerer. As a former children’s librarian and children’s author I speak with some experience on this subject. This book has been animated and is available on Youtube:
A word of warning it will make a francophile out any unsuspecting young child.
I have added pears to my market list. There will be pears a-roasting in Paris tomorrow. Thanks for the inspiration!
It is an overcast Sunday afternoon here in Hood River. I have just served the roasted pear cake after roasting the pears yesterday. I served it for my ten and eleven year old granddaughters who decided a Sunday afternoon tea party was in order. Barb and I also partied with this cake with vanilla ice cream, just a dab, on the side. This cake is elegant and a flavor mine of infinite depth. I had to go to the store for a lemon but it was well worth it. The lemon zestyness is a hint that goes flying around your palate like tasty little butterflies. I live in orchard country and I had never roasted pears until now. Wow! The aroma filled the house. My granddaughter Ayva dipped whole almonds in it and ate them. I will find pears that are a bit more jucy, but still firm next time because there just wasn’t enough of the nectar/syrup. Next time I think I will also decorate the top with very thinly sliced “Mountain Rose” apples which have bright red flesh. It was also impossible to miss the French-ness of it. Somehow the almonds said I was in France.