Caramelized Pears – Poires Caramélisées
A dessert that makes something of a plain fruit: pears in butter caramel with cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon, done in under half an hour.
The pears have to be firm — Williams or Anjou, and rather underripe than ripe. A soft pear collapses into the caramel and you lose exactly the contrast the dish is built on.
The caramel is dry: the sugar goes into the pan alone, spread evenly, and is not stirred. A spoon crystallizes it; move the pan instead.
Watch out when the butter goes in — cold butter into hot caramel spits.
Ingredients
- 4 medium pears, Williams or Anjou, firm
- 100 g white sugar
- 50 g cold butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Optional: a splash of vanilla extract or rum
- To serve: vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt
Method
- 1
Peel the pears, halve them lengthways and remove the core with a melon baller or a small knife. For faster cooking you can cut them into thick slices or wedges.
- 2
In a wide non-stick skillet (frying pan), spread the sugar evenly and set it over medium heat without stirring. When it starts to melt and turn amber, move the pan carefully rather than using a spoon — a spoon crystallizes it.
- 3
As soon as the caramel has color, add the butter (careful, it spits). Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until combined, then arrange the pears in the pan straight away.
- 4
Sprinkle the cinnamon over and add the lemon juice. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes, turning the pears carefully halfway so they caramelize evenly.
- 5
Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high for 1 minute more so the sauce thickens to a syrup that coats the spoon.
- 6
Serve the pears warm on individual plates, spoon the caramel from the pan generously over them, and serve with a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of Greek yogurt to cut the sweetness.
Flavors of the Mediterranean: From Our Table to Yours
If one kitchen invites you to sit down at a long table and stay there, it is the Mediterranean. This is our personal selection of dishes that celebrate freshness, sun and good produce: recipes that smell of basil, lemon and sea. Technique in the service of simplicity — and dishes that come out right every time.
