BAKED PEARS WITH HONEY AND GINGER

Baked Pears with Honey and Ginger image

Yield Serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Nonstick vegetable oil spray
8 firm but ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground ginger
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 quart vanilla frozen yogurt
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Lemon peel strips (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 large ovenproof skillets with oil spray. Arrange half of pears cut side down in each skillet. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger over pears in each skillet. Mix honey, lemon juice and peel in small bowl. Drizzle over pears. Dot pears in each skillet with 3 tablespoons butter.
Place skillets with pears in oven. Bake until juices bubble thickly and pears are tender when pierced with small sharp knife, basting occasionally, about 15 minutes. Turn pears over. Bake 5 minutes longer. Remove pears from oven. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Transfer pears and cooking syrup to large glass baking dish; cover and chill. Rewarm uncovered in 375°F. oven 15 minutes before continuing.)
Arrange 2 pear halves on each of 8 plates. Transfer cooking syrup to 1 large skillet. Bring syrup to simmer, whisk in 4 tablespoons butter. Spoon over pears. Place 1 scoop yogurt alongside. Garnish with mint and lemon peel, if desired.