This is the type of family recipe that combines thriftiness in the kitchen with a creative sense of cooking. It’s ideal for when you have a pot of coffee left over from breakfast and an abundance of pears in your fruit bowl. The combination of reduced coffee, brown sugar, and vanilla creates a dark, rich sauce that is delicious with pears.
The cooking time depends entirely on the ripeness of the pears; I like to leave Seckel pears whole, but if these are unavailable, use about 1¼ pounds of a larger pear variety (like Bosc) and peel, quarter, and core them before cooking. Make sure to select pears of about the same ripeness; otherwise, some will fall apart before others cook through. This dessert can be made ahead and will keep, refrigerated, for several days. Serve with a slice of brioche or pound cake.
4 SERVINGS
|
About ¼ cup sliced almonds |
4 |
large Seckel pears (about 1¼ pounds total), peeled, seeded and cored with a melon baller |
2 |
cups brewed coffee |
¼ |
cup light brown sugar |
½ |
teaspoon pure vanilla extract |
1 |
teaspoon potato starch (available in the kosher section of most supermarkets) |
1 |
tablespoon water |
¼ |
cup cream sherry, Madeira, or port wine |
4 |
slices brioche or pound cake |
1–2 |
tablespoons cocoa nibs or good chocolate grated with a vegetable peeler, for garnish |
4 |
sprigs fresh mint |
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.
Put the pears, coffee, brown sugar, and vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil gently, covered, until the pears are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pears to a bowl. Boil the syrup to reduce it, if necessary, to about ¾ cup. Dissolve the potato starch in the water, add to the syrup, and return to a boil. Pour over the pears, add the sherry, and mix well. Cover and cool.
To serve, put a slice of brioche or pound cake in each of four dessert bowls, preferably glass. Sit a pear on top, coat with the syrup, and garnish with the almonds, cocoa nibs or grated chocolate, and mint.
COCOA NIBS
Cocoa nibs are the dark, crunchy roasted cocoa bean nuggets that have been removed from their husks. Intensely flavored and unsweetened, they are the pure essence of cacao and the basic ingredient for chocolate. They are found in specialty shops and can be used as an ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. They are available from Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker online at www.scharffenberger.com.