Vanilla Scented Pears Food

VANILLA-SCENTED PEAR STRUDEL WITH HAZELNUTS AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make vanilla sugar:
• Combine sugar and vanilla in processor. Blend until beans are very finely chopped, about 1 minute. Sift vanilla sugar into bowl; discard contents of sieve. Transfer vanilla sugar into jar; cover. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store at room temperature.)
• Make sauce:
• Combine cream, 1/4 cup water and 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in brandy. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before serving.)
• Make filling:
• Mix 1/4 cup vanilla sugar and cornstarch in bowl. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pears; sauté until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle cornstarch mixture over pears; stir to blend.
• Simmer until juices are very thick, stirring often, about 6 minutes (longer if pears are very juicy). Remove from heat. Mix in lemon juice. Cool.
• Make strudel and phyllo triangles:
• Finely grind nuts, cookies and 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar in processor. Transfer nut mixture to small bowl.
• Butter 1 baking sheet. Place kitchen towel on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet on towel (keep remaining phyllo sheets covered with plastic wrap and damp towel). Brush phyllo with butter. Top with second phyllo sheet; brush with butter.
• Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons nut mixture. Repeat layering with 6 more phyllo sheets, buttering and sprinkling each with 3 tablespoons nut mixture. Top with another phyllo sheet (for a total of 10 sheets); brush with butter.
• Starting 2 inches in from 1 long side and 2 1/2 inches in from 1 short side, spoon filling in 3-inch-wide by 12-inch-long log parallel to 1 long side.
• Fold short sides over filling; butter folded edges.
• Using towel as aid and starting at 1 long side, roll up strudel, enclosing filling.
• Using large spatula, transfer strudel to prepared baking sheet. Brush strudel all over with butter. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Meanwhile, prepare triangles. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 1 baking sheet. Cut remaining 2 phyllo sheets in half crosswise, making 4 pieces, each about 12 by 8 inches. Place 1 phyllo piece on work surface. Brush phyllo with butter; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon nut mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar. Repeat layering with 2 more phyllo pieces, buttering and sprinkling each with 1 tablespoon nut mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar. Top with remaining phyllo piece; brush with butter. Using large knife, trim stack to 12 by 8 inches. Cut stack into six 4-inch squares. Cut squares diagonally in half.
• Transfer triangles to prepared baking sheet. Brush parchment with butter; place buttered side down on triangles. Press 1 baking sheet atop parchment, anchoring triangles.
• Bake triangles until golden, about 10 minutes. Lift off top baking sheet. Carefully remove parchment. Transfer triangles to rack; cool. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Stack baking sheet with strudel atop another baking sheet. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Stack baking sheet with strudel atop another baking sheet. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Cut strudel crosswise into 6 to 8 sections. Spoon warm chocolate sauce onto each plate. Place strudel atop sauce. Place scoop of ice cream alongside. Stand triangle between strudel and ice cream. Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.

VANILLA POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Make dessert in just 15 minutes: Peel, halve and core 4 pears. Put in a shallow dish with 1 cup white wine, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 strips grapefruit zest and 1 split vanilla bean. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave about 10 minutes. Serve the pears with the vanilla syrup; top with whipped cream, if desired.

VANILLA-SCENTED PEAR AND BOURBON SPRITZ

Steps:

• Combine the pear juice, bourbon and vanilla in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into 4 highball glasses with ice. Top each cocktail with some sparkling lemonade and garnish with a lemon wheel.

PEARS GRILLED IN VANILLA WINE SYRUP

Steps:

• Procedure for Syrup:
• Start this ahead while you are grilling other courses. Line bottom of heavy skillet to protect from soot. Add wine and sugar, slit vanilla bean open lengthwise and scrape out seeds with tip of pairing knife, adding these (and entire vanilla bean) to wine mixture. Allow mixture to boil on the grill until it becomes reduced to about 1/2 cup and has a slightly syrupy texture. Set aside until needed.
• Procedure for Pears:
• With a pairing knife, slice the bottom of each pear half into 1/2 inch thick slices (about 2/3 of the way towards stem, leaving the stem end intact.) Fan the bear slices slightly to make a flatter grilling surface. Remove vanilla bean pod from syrup. Dip each pear half in syrup, place on grill, flesh side down, and grill just until pears are lightly grill-marked. Turn pears skin-side down and continue grilling until skins are lightly grill-marked. Remove from heat and set aside. To serve add half of the remaining wine syrup and stir well to blend. Spoon a bed of the ricotta mixture on individual serving plates. Fan a grilled pear half on top of ricotta, drizzle with remaining wine syrup, sprinkle with black pepper and serve.

VANILLA POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the white wine, water, sugar and vanilla bean and pulp into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
• Core the pears from the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and place in the refrigerator.
• Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, increase the heat to high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup of liquid, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the syrup to turn brown. Place the syrup in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove the pears from the refrigerator, spoon the sauce over the pears and serve.

ROASTED PEARS WITH BROWN SUGAR AND VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the pears cut side up in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Whisk the apple juice and sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the butter. Pour the sauce over the pears. Bake until the pears are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, basting occasionally with the juices, about 35 minutes.
• Spoon the pears onto plates. Top with ice cream. Drizzle with any juices and serve.
• The pears can also be served frozen. To do so, cool the pears, then place them in the freezer until frozen solid, about 8 hours.

VANILLA PEAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Use a large 6 qt pot.
• Cut pears in half, core, peel and cut pears into large chunks.
• The pear chunks should fill the pot to 5 quart level at least.
• Add water and sugar, (Add 1/2 cup or more sugar if you prefer sweeter flavor).
• Bring to boiling point then reduce to low boil.
• Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, nutmeg and ground cloves.
• Give it the old taste test, adjust sugar and spice if needed.
• Cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until pears are very soft and easily mashed to your desirable consistency using a potato masher.
• Do not drain off liquid after cooking unless it is a way to watery, keep it juicy now.
• Quickly fill sterilized hot (180 degrees) jars to 1/8 inch of rim.
• Wipe clean jar rims and threads.
• Cover with hot lids (180 degrees) and bands tightened finger tight only.
• Process in boiling water 12 minutes.
• Note: Make sure the water covers the jars 1 to 2 inches.
• Suggestion: While preparing the pears to prevent them from darkening during preparation drop them into a large pot of water with 2 tbs salt, 2 tbs vinegar added to each gallon of water used.
• Enjoy!