Caramelized Honey-Baked Pears Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cooking method for pears? ›

Poached Pears

Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer the pears until cooked through, 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the pears. While they are poaching, every so often gently push down the pears to make sure they are submerged in poaching liquid. (The round of paper helps to keep the pears moist and wet.)

No need to peel, just slice pears in half and take out the core with a knife or melon baller. This fun fruit is high in fiber – which helps keep you full – and potassium, a powerful player in hydration, muscle and nerve functioning and regulating blood pressure.

You'll want to choose pears that hold together well when making poached, baked, or grilled pears. Look to the crispest raw pears to find those that can withstand heat. The popular Bosc pear is the best option. Anjou pears are another top choice and Concorde and French butter pears are also reliable.

Any pear can be baked, including ones that may seem too hard to eat or cook with. In this recipe, an under-ripe pear is perfect as it softens in the heat of the oven plus a sweet cooking liquid.

This is known as enzymatic browning. Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

As with any fruit, the best way to eat a pear is to eat the whole thing. The skin is where most of the nutrients are, particularly the fiber and antioxidants.

If you're using the pears for cooking, underripe pears are actually what you need. They will hold their shape better whether poached, baked, or braised. If the pears you have are soft and almost mushy, don't discard them! They are best for cooking into a pear sauce.

Slice The Pears

Place the pear on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice the pear in half vertically from the stem to the bottom. Next, cut each half in half again vertically to create quarters. Lay the quarters flat side down and angle the knife to cut diagonally to remove the core.

Pears are not better than apples. They have similar health benefits, though we know much more about how apples impact health than pears. In fact, research into the health benefits of pears is ongoing. Both apples and pears contain pectin, a fiber that nourishes gut bacteria.

Comice pears are perhaps the best pears for eating raw. They have a great fruity aroma and flavor, as well as a slightly finer, less grainy texture than other pear varieties. They are almost a cross between a Bosc pear and an Asian pear. Comice pears are slightly more rounded and apple-shaped than other pears.

Are Bartlett or Anjou pears better for baking? ›

Anjou pears are especially great for baking because they can withstand high temperatures. We love using them for pies and tarts.

Put the pears into a large saucepan and add the water (1 litre for every kilo of fruit). Bring to the boil, and simmer for 50-60 minutes until the pears are tender. Mash the fruit to extract maximum flavour. If it seems a little too solid, add more water – we want the texture of soft applesauce.

They are called stone cells. Botanically speaking, stone cells are one variety of a group found in most plants. These cells have hard walls, and they are found in the hard parts of plants, like stems and nutshells. The fruit of pears always has stone cells scattered through it.

Yes, dogs can eat pears. Pears are a great snack because they're high in copper, vitamins C and K, and fiber. If you're sharing pears with your dog, just be sure to cut the pear flesh into bite-size chunks and remove the pit and seeds first, as the seeds contain traces of cyanide.

Fruit can be cooked using moist heat or dry heat methods. To make a sauce, compote or to poach would require moist heat. Liquid and seasoning is often added to soften and infuse a new flavor. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chilies and saffron can be used to add a deep and complex flavor to fruit.

For some fruits, poaching is a way to soften them up for dishes where they would otherwise add little or no textural value. Pears are often poached so that they become soft enough to be pureed into a sauce or blended into a soup.

Cover and steam for about 10-12 minutes or until the pears are tender. If you opt for boiling, place the pears in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the pears are soft and easily mashed with a fork.

If you're not in a rush, you can simply leave a pear sitting out on the counter at room temperature and it will slowly ripen, usually within four to seven days, according to Edwards. Speed up the process. If you'd like to ripen your pears faster, you can put them in a paper bag with ripe apples and/or bananas.