Wine-Poached Pears Baked In Custard Cream

• to poach pears
• 3 firm-ripe Bosc pears, peeled, halved, the seeds scooped out with a melon baller, and cored with a sharp knife
• 4 cups sweet bubbly white wine (I used Moscato)
• 3 tablespoons granulated organic sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split, and the seeds scraped with the point of a sharp knife
• 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice plus a little extra for squeezing over pears
• for the final assembly
• 1 tablespoon butter plus extra for greasing the pan
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons granulated organic sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split, and the seeds scraped with the point of a sharp knife
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

1. Pre-heat oven to 375u0b0.
2. Butter a casserole large enough to hold the pear halves in one layer.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the white wine, 3/4 C sugar, half-pod of the vanilla bean and seeds, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes. Add pear halves. Turn flame to low.
4. Poach for 10-15 minutes or until tender, lift with slotted spoon and place in buttered casserole cut-side down, alternating the direction of the pears. Continue to simmer down the syrup until reduced by 1/3. Brush about a teaspoon of syrup onto each pear half. Dot each pear half with butter.
5. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the half-and-half, the 3 tablespoons of sugar, the remaining 1/2 vanilla bean and its seeds, and the cornstarch. Over medium heat and whisking constantly, bring the cream mixture gently to a boil. Lower heat and continue to whisk until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and gently pour cream around the pears. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes; remove cover and bake an additional 30-40 minutes (begin checking after 20 minutes) until custard has thickened and poufed a bit and top and edges have browned nicely. Remove from oven, serve warm.

pears, knife, sweet bubbly white wine, sugar, vanilla bean, freshlysqueezed lemon juice, butter, sugar, vanilla bean, cornstarch

Taken from food52.com/recipes/19671-wine-poached-pears-baked-in-custard-cream (may not work)