When there are fresh pears at the market I find them difficult to resist. Whether crisp and crunchy like Comice pears or tender and melting like French Butter pears, I tend to find excuses to use them in my cooking - especially for desserts. Most varieties of pears bake up beautifully. Feel free to use them in place of apples in classic desserts like pies and turnovers. The soft, slightly grainy texture of pears, however, also makes them perfect for poaching or whirling and freezing into sorbet. Find some of my favorite pear dessert recipes below.
1. Pear Cake
Photo © Molly Watson
Pear slices layered into the cake pan and topped with a simple caramelized sugar syrup make this coffeecake-style upside-down pear cake as pretty as it is tasty. This recipe for Upside-Down Pear Cake has plenty of options, too. Use bourbon, pear nectar, or apple cider; yogurt or buttermilk, all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour; deepen the flavor with some freshly ground nutmeg. Use walnuts - or not nuts - where go the pecans. Mix it up!
2. Pear Sorbet
Photo © Molly Watson
Pear sorbet has the lovely slightly grainy texture of pears themselves. It's a divine palate-cleanser or lovely light dessert after a heavy meal. I've also been known to pour a splash of vodka on top or float a scoop in a glass of champagne for a decidedly grown-up take on dessert. See the Pear Sorbet Recipe or, for a decadent twist, try this Sparkling Pear Sorbet.
3. Pear Tart
Photo © Molly Watson
Sliced pears are laid in concentric circles in a crust before being brushed with a light pear sugar syrup (easy-peasy to make) and baked until tender and golden. It's an easy, popular dessert any time pears are in season. (And I find any leftover slices make a perfectly lovely breakfast.) Get the Pear Tart Recipe
4. Pears on the Grill
Photo © Molly Watson
Pears take to the grill wonderfully. They get meltingly tender, their sweetness intensifies, and they caramelize nicely without getting burned too quickly the way some fruits can. I love them plain, but a bit of frozen yogurt or ice cream is just the thing for most people, and a sprinkle of chopped toasted nuts isn't bad either. See How to Grill Pears
5. Poached Pears
Photo © Getty Images
Whole pears poached in wine are a classic French dessert. When done in red wine, as pictured here, they turn a deep burgundy color that hints that their rich, intense flavor. Poach them ahead of time and they're ready to serve at a moment's notice. A dollop or two of creme fraiche or marscapone cheese is wonderful with these beauties. See How to Poach Pears.
6. Rosemary Pear Crisp
Photo © Molly Watson
A rosemary spring, a bit of lemon, and few grindings of black pepper give this Rosemary Pear Crisp a lovely grown-up twist. The pepper, I grant, may sound a bit odd, but it really pulls the whole thing together and most people won't be able to identify what it is exactly that makes this crisp taste so good. A bit of rich vanilla ice cream is just about perfect on top, but some whipped cream will do too.
Or try this Asian Pear Crisp. Asian pears are commonly eaten raw, but an overload of Asian pears in my kitchen one fall led me to discover that they bake up as tender and delicious as can be. Here they are paired with warm spices of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon to create a rich-tasting yet extremely easy, yet corwd-pleasing dessert.
