Baked Marsala Pears Food

BAKED MARSALA PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Trim a disk off the bottom of each pear, providing a flat bottom so you can stand the pears up in a baking dish. Fit the pears in a baking dish that's big enough to hold them all, without a great deal of room around them.
• Pour the marsala over the pears, then drizzle the honey over them. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears.
• Baking the pears, basting them frequently with the liquid (I use a turkey baster, although a soup spoon will work) as they cook. I usually baste them more frequently closer to the end of the cooking time, when the sauce thickens to a syrup.
• Cook the pears until a paring knife inserted into one meets no resistance, meaning the pears are cooked through. They should take between 50 and 60 minutes to cook, although because fruit can vary (due to variety and ripeness), check them before the recommended time. And if necessary, they may take longer.
• Remove from oven and continue to baste the pears, as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Although cooking the pears this way provides some sauce, if you want extra (especially if you are serving them with ice cream), you can use this recipe to make more: Mix a few tablespoons of the marsala with the corn starch in a saucepan, stirring until the corn starch is completely dissolved. Whisk in the sugar, then the rest of the marsala. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently with the whisk. When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly with the whisk, until it noticeably thickens to the consistency of warmed maple syrup. Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. (The sauce can be made up to one week ahead and refrigerated.)

MARSALA-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove cores. Measure Marsala cooking wine into a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Melt butter in a large 12-inch skillet. Stir in Marsala mixture. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Place pears in pan, cut side down. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30-45 minutes or until cool enough to serve.
• Place each pear half in a small bowl. Stir remaining sauce in pan; drizzle each serving with 1-2 teaspoons warm sauce. Top with a small scoop of ice cream, and if desired, toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

BAKED PEARS MARSALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine ingredients in a roasting pan in one layer, toss to coat, then bake until pears are tender and a syrup forms (20-25 minutes).
• Serve warm topped with a spoonful of ricotta.

MARSALA HONEY PEARS WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• While you are cutting the pears, let the oil heat in a large frying pan/skillet.
• Fry the pears for 3 minutes a side, and while they are frying whisk the Marsala and honey together in a cup.
• When the pears have had their time, add the Marsala-honey mixture and let it bubble up around the pears, and then transfer them, all bronzed and syrupy, to a plate.
• Add the walnuts to the dark juices left in the pan and stir-fry them for about a minute until they are themselves darkened in part and sticky all over. Remove them to the plate with the pears and add the Gorgonzola.

BAKED PEARS WITH MARSALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. With vegetable peeler or small knife, remove peel from lemon in 2 1/2" by 1/2" strips; squeeze juice from lemon.
• With apple corer or small knife, remove cores from blossom end (bottom) of unpeeled pears but do not remove stems. With pastry brush, brush insides of pears with lemon juice, then sprinkle insides with 2 teaspoons sugar.
• In shallow 1 1/2- to 2 quart ceramic or glass baking dish, mix lemon-peel strips, marsala, and water. Place 1/3 cup sugar on sheet of waxed paper. With pastry brush, brush pears with melted butter, then roll in sugar to coat. Place pears, bottoms down, in baking dish. Sprinkle any sugar remaining on waxed paper into baking dish.
• Bake pears 40 to 50 minutes until fork-tender, basting occasionally with syrup in dish.
• Cool pears slightly to serve warm. Or, cool completely; cover and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. Reheat pears to serve warm later.

BAKED PEAR

Steps:

• Place pear slices in an ungreased microwave dish.
• Dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg.
• Cover and cook on high five minutes or until pears are tender. (Microwave ovens vary, so you may need to cook longer or less).

POACHED PEARS WITH MARSALA, CINNAMON, AND VANILLA

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups dry Marsala, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, split vanilla beans, and orange peel strips in heavy large pot. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peeled Bosc pears. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer until pears are tender, turning pears occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to platter. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Pour syrup over poached pears. Chill until cold, turning pears occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Divide poached pears among 6 shallow bowls. Strain syrup; discard solids. Drizzle syrup over pears. Top each with dollop of mascarpone, if desired, and serve.
• Italian cream cheese, sold at Italian markets and many supermarkets.

EASY BAKED PEARS WITH AMARETTI

Steps:

• Cut each pear in half, then place on a large baking tray. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the cores and make a dip in the centre of each pear. If your pears are firm, you may need to use a sharp knife to do this. Dollop about 1 heaped tsp ricotta into each dip, then sprinkle over the cinnamon and drizzle with a little honey.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, then roast the pears for 10 mins. Tip the biscuits into a food bag and use a rolling pin to lightly crush them. Remove the pears from the oven, then scatter the crumbs over each pear. Return to the oven for another 10 mins or until the pears are soft and the biscuit golden brown. Serve drizzled with honey.

BAKED PEARS

Steps:

• Core pears but do not peel.
• Place in greased 9" square pan.
• Combine oats, sugar, spices and butter until crumbly.
• Stuff pears letting excess fall into pan.
• Pour 3/4 cup apple juice into pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, basting after 30 minutes. Add more juice if necessary.
• Cool 30 minutes before serving.