Baked Marsala Pears Recipes

BAKED PEARS MARSALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine ingredients in a roasting pan in one layer, toss to coat, then bake until pears are tender and a syrup forms (20-25 minutes).
• Serve warm topped with a spoonful of ricotta.

BAKED MARSALA PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Trim a disk off the bottom of each pear, providing a flat bottom so you can stand the pears up in a baking dish. Fit the pears in a baking dish that's big enough to hold them all, without a great deal of room around them.
• Pour the marsala over the pears, then drizzle the honey over them. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears.
• Baking the pears, basting them frequently with the liquid (I use a turkey baster, although a soup spoon will work) as they cook. I usually baste them more frequently closer to the end of the cooking time, when the sauce thickens to a syrup.
• Cook the pears until a paring knife inserted into one meets no resistance, meaning the pears are cooked through. They should take between 50 and 60 minutes to cook, although because fruit can vary (due to variety and ripeness), check them before the recommended time. And if necessary, they may take longer.
• Remove from oven and continue to baste the pears, as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Although cooking the pears this way provides some sauce, if you want extra (especially if you are serving them with ice cream), you can use this recipe to make more: Mix a few tablespoons of the marsala with the corn starch in a saucepan, stirring until the corn starch is completely dissolved. Whisk in the sugar, then the rest of the marsala. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently with the whisk. When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly with the whisk, until it noticeably thickens to the consistency of warmed maple syrup. Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. (The sauce can be made up to one week ahead and refrigerated.)

MARSALA-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove cores. Measure Marsala cooking wine into a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Melt butter in a large 12-inch skillet. Stir in Marsala mixture. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Place pears in pan, cut side down. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30-45 minutes or until cool enough to serve.
• Place each pear half in a small bowl. Stir remaining sauce in pan; drizzle each serving with 1-2 teaspoons warm sauce. Top with a small scoop of ice cream, and if desired, toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

BAKED PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut top quarter of pears off; create a well by scooping out the core, being careful not to puncture the bottom of the pear. Arrange pears in a shallow baking dish.
• Drizzle maple syrup over pears. Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter in each pear; sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake in preheated oven until pears are easily pierced with a fork, 35 to 50 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

BAKED PEARS WITH MARSALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. With vegetable peeler or small knife, remove peel from lemon in 2 1/2" by 1/2" strips; squeeze juice from lemon.
• With apple corer or small knife, remove cores from blossom end (bottom) of unpeeled pears but do not remove stems. With pastry brush, brush insides of pears with lemon juice, then sprinkle insides with 2 teaspoons sugar.
• In shallow 1 1/2- to 2 quart ceramic or glass baking dish, mix lemon-peel strips, marsala, and water. Place 1/3 cup sugar on sheet of waxed paper. With pastry brush, brush pears with melted butter, then roll in sugar to coat. Place pears, bottoms down, in baking dish. Sprinkle any sugar remaining on waxed paper into baking dish.
• Bake pears 40 to 50 minutes until fork-tender, basting occasionally with syrup in dish.
• Cool pears slightly to serve warm. Or, cool completely; cover and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. Reheat pears to serve warm later.