Make Ahead, Quick Fix

Dulce de Leche–Coffee Dipped Pears

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Start to Finish: 1 Hour 10 Minutes 6 servings

• ½ cup chopped chocolate-covered espresso coffee beans
• 1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
• 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur
• 6 red or green firm but ripe pears with stems

1 Line cookie sheet with waxed or cooking parchment paper. In shallow bowl, place coffee beans.

2 In 1-quart saucepan, stir together dulce de leche and liqueur. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat.

3 Holding stem, dip bottom half of each pear into caramel mixture; shake off excess. Roll in coffee beans. Place on cookie sheet. Drizzle any remaining caramel mixture over pears (rewarm, if necessary). Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Store loosely covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.

1 Serving: Calories 390; Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 95mg; Total Carbohydrate 70g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 6g Exchanges: 1 Fruit, 3 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Milk Carbohydrate Choices: 4½

Festive Touch For variety, dip the caramel pears in other toppings. Chocolate candy sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, crushed chocolate wafers or graham crackers would all be delicious!

Kitchen Secrets Before dipping pears, check that they will stand upright. If not, cut a thin slice from bottom of pear so it has a flat surface.

Kitchen Secrets Not a coffee fan? Substitute chopped toasted hazelnuts (filberts) for the coffee beans and hazelnut liqueur for the coffee-flavored liqueur.