Jacques Pepin's Braised Pears in Caramel Sauce
- 6 medium-size pears, not too ripe
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 13 stick sweet butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise.
- Remove cores.
- Place pear halves flat side down in single layer in 1 or 2 large baking or gratin dishes.
- Sprinkle sugar over pears and dot with butter.
- Place in oven and bake 35 minutes.
- By this time sugar should have caramelized and pears should be tender when pierced with point of knife.
- If pears are not tender continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pour cream over pears and return to oven.
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, basting every 5 minutes with cream.
- Cream should have reduced and thickened and turned nice ivory color.
- If sauce seems to be separating, add a tablespoon or two of hot water.
- Remove pears from oven, allow to cool slightly.
- Serve directly from baking dish.
sugar, sweet butter, heavy cream
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2001 (may not work)