Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Pear-Shaped Diamonds...

I normally don't cook much except soups and salads, but when I saw this gorgeous and EASY recipe on Ms. Glaze's Pomme d'Amour last week, I dropped everything, ran out and bought 5 Bosc pears, plus some red wine (Gallo Cab Sauv by the way) and started to play.
OK my baking dish should have been smaller.
And I've never carmelized anything in my life - the red wine and sugar in this case. In fact the smoke alarm started screeching in protest with my shenanigans.
Quelle WRECK!
But they tasted DAMN GOOD and took all of 45 minutes.
PLUS you don't have to peel or core the pears!
This is an amazing recipe.
Any idiot can make it. I did! :)
Here's the cleaned up version.
Nothing as glorious as Amy's but with practice...
The carmelized sugar and wine forms a stained glassy coating outside the pears. You crack through it to the inner lush pear like eating a creme brulee..
Going a la mode with vanilla ice cream only adds to the varied textures...
The recipe is at Amy's.
Just don't set the house on fire.
Here the same easy pears on this elegant dessert cookbook cover from Chanterelle.
Happy cooking!

22 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:08 AM

    Carol – What happened here!?!? This was supposed to be an easy recipe!!! I don't really understand why the sauce is black, did you have the oven temp up a little too hot maybe? Did you baste the pears with more wine/sugar every 15 min? And the smoke alarm went off too!?!? Oh la la la la la la. That's it, I'm coming to visit you and we're going to make these together. Gros Bisous, Ms. Glaze

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  2. Hmmm. Amy and Carol: How 'bout this? A new Food Channel Show..."Chef to the Rescue". :)
    I"ll bet they tasted fantastique! I haven't try this yet but have been drooling over the Amy's pear diamonds since last week. So like our brave PB to jump right in...intrepid, talented one...thanks for sharing the pics. Now I must give it a whirl. Yummy breakfast.
    All best this am,
    Jan

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  3. Luscious. Do you have some watercolour with pears like these? I am sure you have a marvelous way to depict these caramelized glossy surfaces. By the way, there's a great sandwich you can make with slices of pear, Camembert (or Roquefort if you prefer even a stronger taste) and some lettuce.

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  4. wow...i love pear desserts...anyway, anytime...this loks like a fun one to do...blessings, rebecca

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  5. So this is what burnt offerings look like. LOL

    Blindfold your Guests and they wouldnt know the difference. ;)

    All kidding aside Kudos for making them in the first place and I bet they WERE wonderful tasting.
    Thanks for the smile this morning. Shows I'm not the only one who cooks like this. hmmm Chef to the Rescue show...Good idea Janice. ;)

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  6. Anonymous12:17 PM

    Pears in Red wine. Mmmmmmmm.

    I hope it Tasted Good.

    My favourite pear dessert is pear upside down flan.

    pate brisee, with sponge with pears on top when you turn it over: and cream of course.

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  7. Not only did I save this recipe I might actually make it. Thanks

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  8. Ommigod! This is absolutely hilarious. Those pears looks like some of my attempts of recipes in Gourmet and Bon Apetit - I actually have photographed mine as well, just to remember the laughs.
    You had the advantage of having them actually taste good - much better than my track record. If Ms. Glaze is offering assistance, I'll raise my hand too. :)

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  9. And to think I just settled for Trader Joe's dark chocolate pretzels....


    take a peek at my 200th post if you wish

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  10. OH LORDIE!
    I did NOT BURN the pears or the sauce.
    I just didn't have enough light when I shot the pan...and well they did not come out all golden looking like some Master chef's creations :(
    HEY I need a little practice on this one.
    GIMME A BREAK!
    Burnt offerings ! :(

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  11. I've always wanted to try poached, glazed or otherwise cooked pears, but have been a bit daunted by the process. Your example is making me feel more brave about it.

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  12. Oooh pears! I think they look fabuleux. I want one! I'll be right over. Oh. You ate them up? Well of course you did! Yum!

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  13. Anonymous5:27 AM

    Thank you so much for the recipe for Les Poires Roties Avec Syrop de Vin Rouge
    With my long-ago high school French, I was even able to translate it. I've copied the recipe and look forward to trying it soon. I may just try it on the 3 pears that are sitting on our kitchen counter right now, even though they're not Bosc. It's always great to see what you have to unfold so beautifully on Paris Breakfast.
    P.C.

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  14. I think I should show more cooking flops..well semi-flops.
    Since I'm giving everyone here GREAT COURAGE!
    Making macarons would take the cake!
    Multi-possible flops there...

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  15. I think Carol is on to something....JC

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  16. Ooh - they look very tempting indeed, and I love pear desserts, even though I'm not a fan of uncooked pears. I must give this one a shot!

    Passementerie

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  17. Anonymous3:47 PM

    Just another funny thought, because I too have had my cooking tragedies. Only when mine happen I'm not alone in the kitchen. I'm screwing up the cuisson of the poularde the Michelin Star guide director has ordered for a special party (the skin broke over the chicken and it's served whole and carved tableside-whoops – hard to recook that one!) or overcooking some famous potlitian's veal. Oh well, tant pis, I think you're pears look great even if they are a little black around the edges. But who am I to judge!!?!?!

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  18. I'll take your pears, core seed and stem included, any day. They look great! :-)

    (I decided to make a truly special, crisp pecan pie this year and prebaked a pâte à tarte brisée bottom - tee hee, you should have watched how fast the maple and egg filling soaked into it, creating a gooey mess with my precious hand-imported pecans. *sigh*)

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  19. Anonymous3:12 AM

    Had to do with a plain pear...
    ...from Chardin !
    http://www.similart.fr/fr/hd.php?ref=21352

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  20. I've been curious about making these since I read Ms.Glaze's post on them, but when I read what you wrote (You crack through it to the inner lush pear like eating a creme brulee..) you made up my mind...I'm gonna make these!!!!

    Speaking of, I made a special French lunch for friends and everything flopped, except the violet kirs, and the foie gras....I have a turns-out-perfect-every-time recipe for Creme Brulee, and my sister borrowed the cookbook it's in (and then moved out of town) so I found one online....and OH MY GOSH....it was the worst, ugliest embarrassment. Think CURDLED, watery creme, that decided at the last minute to puff up and then fall flat.
    Embarrassing. Yours are not, they look beautiful after you plated them and added la glace ;)

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  21. Anonymous10:29 AM

    Ever since I read this post I was dying to try this recipe. We rec'd some beautiful pears in a fruit basket for Chrismtas and I just had to make this recipe. It turned out delicious and beautiful! I'll attach a photo (if the post lets me.) Thanks! Artzart

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  22. ARTZART !
    Send me the photo and I'll add it to the post with a credit wherever you are :)

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