ROASTED PEARS WITH ALMOND CRUNCH

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Roasted Pears with Almond Crunch image

Categories     Egg     Fruit     Dessert     Bake     Roast     Pear     Almond     Fall     Gourmet     Kidney Friendly     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

For almond crunch
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sliced almonds (preferably with skins; 2 3/4 oz)
For pears
3 firm Bosc pears (1 1/2 lb total)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons Amaretto or other almond-flavored liqueur
1/2 cup water
Accompaniment: mascarpone cheese (optional)
Special Equipment
parchment paper; a melon-ball cutter (optional)

Steps:

  • Make almond crunch:
  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  • Whisk together egg white, sugar, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved, then add almonds, stirring until coated. Spread mixture in a very thin layer on parchment-lined sheet, spreading almonds away from center of pan.
  • Bake until deep golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack, then break into pieces.
  • Roast pears:
  • Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
  • Halve pears lengthwise and core with melon-ball cutter or a paring knife.
  • Spread 1 tablespoon butter on bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.
  • Arrange pears, cut sides up, on sugar, then dot pears with remaining tablespoon butter. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over pears, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon Amaretto.
  • Roast pears, uncovered, until barely tender, about 25 minutes (sugar will harden on bottom).
  • Add water, a pinch of salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons Amaretto to baking dish and stir (around pears) until sugar is dissolved, then baste pears with pan juices.
  • Roast pears, basting twice with pan juices, until tender, about 15 minutes more.
  • Serve pears, warm or at room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and topped with almond crunch.

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