Pears Roasted in Vanilla Butterscotch Sauce

By sarah_carroll

Ingredients

• 4 buerre bosc pears, peeled
• 2 cups (500ml) water
• 1/2 cup (125ml) brandy
• 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 80 g butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup (125ml) thin cream
• Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160°C. Place the pears in a medium saucepan. Add the water, brandy, half the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and star anise. Cover with a disc of baking paper (this helps keep the pears submerged in the poaching liquid). Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat.

Combine the butter, cream, remaining sugar and 1/2 cup (125ml) of the poaching liquid in a frying pan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a roasting pan. Arrange the cinnamon, vanilla bean and star anise around the pears. Drizzle with the butterscotch sauce. Roast in preheated oven, basting and turning occasionally in butterscotch sauce, for 30 minutes or until pears are tender and golden. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Place pears and sauce into serving bowls. Serve with ice-cream, if desired.