Baked Bosc Pears With Warm Caramel

This is a truly show-stopping dessert and everyone should try it at least once…betcha can’t stay at one time only.

• 1/4 cup pecans
• 4 large Bosc Pears
• 1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
• 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tbsp. grated lime zest
• 1 tsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2  cup pear juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and chop. Set aside.

Peel the skin back from the top one third of each pear. Use a melon baller and core the pears, leaving one half inch of the bottoms in tact to hold the filling.

In a small bowl, combine the raisins, sugar, lime zest, flour and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Using a small spoon, stuff the filling into the pears, pressing with fingers to compact. Set pears upright in a pie plate. Spoon the juice over each pear, cover with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with the point of a knife.

Remove the pears from the pie plate and drain the juices into a small pot. Keep the fruit warm while making the sauce. Place the pot over a medium high heat and simmer for 4 minutes until the juices are recued to 1/4 cup. Reserve.

Caramel

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/4 cup reserved juices

Heat sugar and lime juice into a small saucepan, over medium heat until the sugar is moistened. Allow it to come to the boil then simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar has turned golden. CAREFULLY pour the juices into the sugar. It will bubble and spit, stir constantly to incorporate into the caramel.

Pour the sauce over and around the pears.

Serves 4.