I’ve been living with a kitchen a fraction of the size of a normal kitchen for a number of years, so I’m always looking out for desserts that can be made with a minimum of fuss. And I’m happy when a dessert requires a minimal amount of counter space because between my imposing stand mixer and the half-eaten chocolate bars and other edibles scattered around my kitchen (and on my desk, and in my living room, and, I’m not embarrassed to say, sometimes even in the bathroom), I’m lucky to have enough space to peel a few pears. That’s a good thing, actually, because it means I can make this dessert all winter long, no matter what shape my kitchen counter is in. Once peeled, just pop the pears in the oven, and when they come out, strain out the liquid and use it as a base for one of the best—and easiest—caramel sauces imaginable.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings

　　15 whole cloves

　　2 star anise

　　2 cinnamon sticks

　　1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

　　4 firm, ripe medium pears (1 1/2 pounds/680 g), such as Bosc, Winter Nellis, or d’Anjou

　　4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 g) unsalted or salted butter, melted

　　1/2 cup (120 g) packed dark or light brown sugar

　　1/4 cup (60 ml) Cognac, brandy, or rum

　　1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

　　

Step 2

Coarsely crush the cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or seal them inside a sturdy plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

　　

Step 3

Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Pour the butter into a large, shallow baking dish that will hold all the pear quarters in a single layer. Add the pears to the baking dish along with the crushed spices, brown sugar, and cognac, brandy, or rum and toss to combine.

　　

Step 4

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until the pears are tender (a sharp paring knife inserted into the center meets no resistance), 30 to 45 minutes, stirring the pears a few times during baking. (The baking time will vary depending on the variety and ripeness of the pears.)

　　

Step 5

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to individual plates. Scrape the juices and spices from the baking dish into a skillet. Pour the cream into the skillet and cook over medium heat until the mixture deepens in color, thickens, and caramelizes. Strain the caramel and drizzle it over the pears.

　　

Serving

Step 6

These pears are delicious with Frozen Sour Cream (page 173) or served as an accompaniment to slices of Fresh Ginger Cake (page 42).

　　

Variation

Step 7

You can use a softer pear, such as Comice, Bartlett, or French butter pear, but watch them while baking as they’ll cook quickly—in about 30 minutes or less. The pears can also be replaced with good, firm baking apples—Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Pippin, Rome Beauty, or Winesap—peeled, cored, and cut into eighths, and baked for about 25 minutes.

　　

tip

Step 8

If you don’t mind the spices in the caramel, it’s not necessary to strain them out.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.