apple and pear crostini with goat cheese spread

By dyannucci

DAY adapted form MA

Ingredients

• 1 roll good goat cheese
• Italian or french bread
• cream to smooth the goat cheese for spreading
• 3 bosc pears peeled cored and quartered
• 3 apples peeled cored and quartered
• golden raisins
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider or enough to cover
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean optional
• .

Preparation

Step 1

make fruit topping

Poach apples and pears

Peel the pears with a vegetable peeler or a sharp paring knife, then core them by using a melon baller or a grapefruit spoon to dig up into the bottom of the pear, carving out the seeds and core. Work carefully and slowly, pulling out little bits at a time, to avoid splitting the flesh.

Combine the cider, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the sugar dissolves, 2 minutes.

Add the pears and apples, and then cover with a lid and cook on low until fruit is soft.

add golden raisins to poaching liquid to soften

Remove the pears using a slotted spoon and transfer to serving plates or a shallow dish. Carefully strain the poaching liquid back into the saucepan and reduce the liquid by half until thickened and syrupy.

Pour the reduced sauce over the pears and apples and chill in the refrigerator an additional 2 hours or up to 2 days.

remove fruit and warm slightly

Toast crostoni

Add a bit of cream to goat cheese to make spreadable

let guests make their own crostini