Caramel Pear Charlotte Food

CARAMEL PEAR CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and mist an 8-inch diameter x 3-inch deep round cake pan with non-stick spray.
• Cut a circle from parchment paper, and place in the bottom of the pan.
• Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed, until the mixture resembles damp sand.
• Stir in the egg, until fully incorporated.
• Add the yogurt, milk, and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, to aerate the batter and strengthen the cake's structure.
• Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool for twenty minutes, then unmold and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Place the water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer on top.
• Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl.
• In a small pot over medium heat, bring the pear nectar to a simmer.
• Add the hot pear juice to the yolks, a little at a time, while whisking.
• When all of the liquid has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into the pot and place over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Whisk in the gelatin mixture, and cool to room temperature.
• Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks.
• Fold the whipped cream, pear puree, and salted caramel into the egg mixture.
• Line a clean 8-inch diameter x 3-inch deep round cake pan with plastic wrap, and place the cake round in.
• Pour the pear mousse over.
• Chill until firm.
• Unmold the cake/mousse from the pan and place on a serving platter.
• Wrap a sheet of ladyfingers around the dessert, securing with ribbon.
• Top with caramel dipped pears.

CARAMEL PEAR CHARLOTTES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make charlottes:
• Peel and core pears and cut into 1/4-inch dice. With a knife halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a small bowl. In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add pears and vanilla bean pod and seeds (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved and pears are tender but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Drain pear mixture in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve any pear juices for sauce. Discard vanilla bean pod.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter bread slices on 1 side. Using 12 slices of bread, cut 6 bread rounds to fit in bottoms of six 2/3-cup charlotte molds or ramekins and cut 6 rounds the same size as tops of molds or ramekins. Discard crusts from remaining 8 bread slices and cut slices into 1 1/4-inch-wide strips. Put bottom rounds, buttered sides down, in molds or ramekins and arrange strips vertically, buttered sides against insides of molds or ramekins, slightly overlapping and pressing them gently to adhere. Trim any overhang flush with rims. Divide pear mixture among molds or ramekins and top with remaining rounds, buttered sides up, pressing gently. Charlottes may be made up to this point 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Bake charlottes on a baking sheet in middle of oven until bread is golden, about 25 minutes.
• Make sauce:
• In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add cream, butter, and any reserved pear juices (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and stir in poire William. Invert charlottes onto 6 plates and spoon sauce over them.

CARAMEL PEARS

Steps:

• Microwave 10 ounces unwrapped soft caramels with 1 tablespoon half-and-half, stirring every 20 seconds, until smooth. Pour into a wide mug, then quickly dip 4 pears in the caramel, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and let set on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

PEAR CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the pear slices in a large saute pan with 2/3 cup sugar, the salt, pear liqueur, and lemon juice. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the pears are soft. Set aside to cool.
• Place the butter, the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the cinnamon in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the mixture until it is smooth.
• Butter each piece of brioche with the cinnamon butter. With the long side of the bread closest to you, cut each slice into 3 pieces. Line the sides of the ramekins with the brioche pieces, buttered-side against the ramekin.
• Compactly fill the inside of each ramekin with about 1/4 cup of the pear mixture. Trim off any brioche that sticks up above the ramekin.
• Bake the charlottes for 15 to 20 minutes, until the brioche is toasted.
• Spoon some of the vanilla custard sauce on 4 plates, and unmold the charlottes on top.
• Top each with a dollop of creme fraiche.
• Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a stainless steel mixing bowl until
• creamy. Set aside.
• Put the milk and the vanilla extract or vanilla bean in a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Scald the milk, and slowly whisk it into the egg mixture. Put the bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook the custard, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken. It should coat the back of the wooden spoon. Do not let it boil.
• Cool the custard sauce over an ice bath. Strain and refrigerate until ready to use. Custard sauce will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.

CARAMEL PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Add together in a large bowl, the pears and lemon juice; toss.
• In a different bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
• Add to pears; stir gently to mix well.
• Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Pour mixture into the pastry shell.
• In a bowl, mix the oats, flour, and remaining sugar.
• Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle over pears.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
• In a saucepan, melt caramels with milk, over low heat.
• Stir until smooth.
• Add pecans.
• Drizzle over pie.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
• Cool pie on a wire rack.

CARAMEL PEAR SLICES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pears, and toss to coat with butter. Sprinkle sugar over pears. Cook, stirring pears occasionally, until deep golden, about 30 minutes.
• Add lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy, about 3 minutes. Serve warm.

PEAR CHARLOTTES WITH CHAMOMILE CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Bring 1/2 cup water and sugar to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Mix in raisins and rum. Let soak 1 hour. Drain raisins.
• Meanwhile, heat honey in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pears; sauté just until tender, about 2 minutes. Cool. Mix in raisins.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter eight 1 1/4-cup custard cups, then sprinkle with sugar. Place cups on baking sheet. Place 8 bread slices on work surface. Cut out 1 round from each slice to fit cup bottoms. Line cup bottoms with bread rounds. Cut enough of remaining bread slices into strips wide enough to line cup sides; line cup sides completely with strips, cutting to fit. Cut enough of remaining bread into 1/2-inch cubes to measure 4 cups.
• Whisk cream, sugar, eggs, rum, and vanilla in large bowl to blend well. Add 4 cups bread cubes and fruit mixture; stir to blend. Divide among prepared cups.
• Bake charlottes until center is puffed and set, about 55 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Warm in 350°F oven for 7 minutes.) Run knife around sides of charlottes. Invert onto plates. Spoon crème anglaise over warm charlottes.

ROASTED AND CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze a lemon into it. Peel each pear, leaving a small crown of skin around the stem. Carefully core each, keeping pear intact. As the pears are peeled, place in the water.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In large nonreactive ovenproof skillet, combine sugar, vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until mixture is lightly caramelized. Remove from heat.
• While caramel is cooking, remove pears from water, draining them well. When caramel is done, roll pears in caramel, turning them with 2 wooden spoons. Do not touch caramel. Stand pears up in the pan, place pan in oven, and roast pears about 45 minutes, basting them frequently with caramel in the pan, until they are tender and golden brown. Keep the basting spoon in a dish of warm water to prevent it from getting sticky.
• Using wooden spoons, carefully transfer pears to a rack placed over a sheet of foil, and allow them to drain. Return skillet to top of stove, whisk in the cream and bring to a simmer. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Serve pears with warm sauce and vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt on the side.

CHARLOTTE AUX POIRES WILLIAM ET CARAMEL

Steps:

• Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add the sugar and pinch of salt. Beat the mixture until it is thick, with a light yellow color.
• Combine the milk and vanilla bean in a saucepan and bring the mixture almost, but not quite, to the boil.
• Remove the vanilla bean and gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, beating constantly until all the milk is fully incorporated. Pour this mixture back into a saucepan and cook over very low heat, constantly scraping the bottom with a spoon or whisk. Cook until it coats a spoon like a thick custard. Do not let the sauce boil, or it will curdle. Immediately remove the saucepan from the stove, stirring constantly.
• Dissolve the gelatin in a quarter cup of warm water and stir this into the warm sauce until it is thoroughly dissolved.
• While the custard is cooking, in a heavy pot or sugar pan, add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract and two tablespoons of water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring, until it is richly browned but not burned. Add this caramel to the sauce. Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly.
• Make the whipped cream (see recipe). Fold the cream into the mixture. Drain very well the can of pears and cut them into half-inch pieces. Fold the pear pieces into the mixture.
• Line the bottom of a two-quart tinned charlotte mold with parchment paper. Cut and trim the ladyfingers into triangles. Arrange them tightly together in the bottom of the mold. Then arrange them on the sides of the mold by placing them parallel to each other.
• Fill the charlotte mold with the pear mixture to the top of the mold. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it rest for at least four hours in the refrigerator before unmolding.