Desserts: Poached Pears and Custard

By JoFClark

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 4-5 firm, ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored
• Custard
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 T cornstarch
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 vanilla up cream
• 1 T Grand Marnier or 1/2 t vanilla extract
• Syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T water
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
• P

Preparation

Step 1

Combine sugar, water, lemon juice and vanilla bean in a sauté pan or deep skillet and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved
Add pears and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender, turning several times
Leave in syrup to cool

Custard
Off of the stove, combine the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in the top part of the double broiler and beat until light
Whisk in milk and cream and place over simmering water in bottom part of double broiler and heat while stirring until starts to thicken
Whisk vigorously until mixture is smooth and thick
Remove from heat, stir in Grand Marnier or vanilla extract and fit a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap directly on top of custard and let cool
To assemble, cover bottom of a low serving dish with custard
Drain pears on paper towels and place on custard, cut side down

Syrup
Combine sugar and sugar in a heavy saucepan, bring to a boil while swirling pan until sugar is dissolved
Continue cooking ov medium highs heat until syrup just turns color (light tan)
As a decorative garnish, carefully pour a few swirls of the sugar, in thin threads, over pears and custard
Sprinkle with toasted almonds