Roasted Pears with Blackberries, Ricotta, & Lavender Sugar

By Chez_Alexander

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms
• 6 unpeeled pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), quartered, cored
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 12-ounce package frozen blackberries
• 1 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream
• Ingredient info: Look for dried lavender blossoms at ssupermarkets, farmers' markets, and natural foods stores, or order them from deandeluca.com.

Preparation

Step 1

1. Grind first 2 ingredients in processor until lavender is finely chopped. DO AHEAD: Lavender sugar can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter large rimmed baking sheet. Toss pears, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons lavender sugar in large bowl. Transfer pears, 1 cut side down, to baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes. Turn pears, placing other cut side down. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon lavender sugar; roast 20 minutes. Turn pears, skin side down. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle pears with 1 tablespoon lavender sugar. Broil until pears begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Arrange berries around pears; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon lavender sugar. Broil until berries begin to release juice, about 5 minutes.
Divide pears, berries, and juice among bowls. Top with dollop of ricotta and serve.