Pear Charlotte Recipes

PEAR CHARLOTTES WITH CHAMOMILE CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Bring 1/2 cup water and sugar to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Mix in raisins and rum. Let soak 1 hour. Drain raisins.
• Meanwhile, heat honey in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pears; sauté just until tender, about 2 minutes. Cool. Mix in raisins.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter eight 1 1/4-cup custard cups, then sprinkle with sugar. Place cups on baking sheet. Place 8 bread slices on work surface. Cut out 1 round from each slice to fit cup bottoms. Line cup bottoms with bread rounds. Cut enough of remaining bread slices into strips wide enough to line cup sides; line cup sides completely with strips, cutting to fit. Cut enough of remaining bread into 1/2-inch cubes to measure 4 cups.
• Whisk cream, sugar, eggs, rum, and vanilla in large bowl to blend well. Add 4 cups bread cubes and fruit mixture; stir to blend. Divide among prepared cups.
• Bake charlottes until center is puffed and set, about 55 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Warm in 350°F oven for 7 minutes.) Run knife around sides of charlottes. Invert onto plates. Spoon crème anglaise over warm charlottes.

CARAMEL PEAR CHARLOTTES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make charlottes:
• Peel and core pears and cut into 1/4-inch dice. With a knife halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a small bowl. In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add pears and vanilla bean pod and seeds (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved and pears are tender but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Drain pear mixture in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve any pear juices for sauce. Discard vanilla bean pod.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter bread slices on 1 side. Using 12 slices of bread, cut 6 bread rounds to fit in bottoms of six 2/3-cup charlotte molds or ramekins and cut 6 rounds the same size as tops of molds or ramekins. Discard crusts from remaining 8 bread slices and cut slices into 1 1/4-inch-wide strips. Put bottom rounds, buttered sides down, in molds or ramekins and arrange strips vertically, buttered sides against insides of molds or ramekins, slightly overlapping and pressing them gently to adhere. Trim any overhang flush with rims. Divide pear mixture among molds or ramekins and top with remaining rounds, buttered sides up, pressing gently. Charlottes may be made up to this point 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Bake charlottes on a baking sheet in middle of oven until bread is golden, about 25 minutes.
• Make sauce:
• In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add cream, butter, and any reserved pear juices (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and stir in poire William. Invert charlottes onto 6 plates and spoon sauce over them.

CARAMELIZED PEAR CHARLOTTES WITH PERSIMMON

Steps:

• Peel and core pears and cut into sixths. In a small non-stick skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam begins to subside and sauté pears, turning occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over pears and cook, stirring once or twice, until golden brown and caramelized, about 1 minute.
• In a food processor or blender purée pears until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Pear purée may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a small saucepan melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Cut 2 bread slices into rounds the same size as bottom of two 1/2-cup charlotte molds, ramekins, or custard cups and cut 2 bread slices into rounds the same size as tops of molds, reserving bread trimmings.
• In a small food processor grind trimmings fine and stir into pear purée.
• Brush smaller rounds on both sides with some melted butter and with them line bottoms of molds. Cut remaining 3 bread slices into 1-inch squares and discard crusts. Brush squares on both sides with some remaining butter and line sides of molds with them, overlapping slightly and pressing gently against side of mold.
• Divide enough pear purée between lined molds to fill them to within 1/8 inch of top. Brush remaining 2 bread rounds on both sides with remaining butter and top molds with them, pressing down gently but firmly to cover filling completely.
• Charlottes may be prepared up to this point 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Bake charlottes 20 minutes, or until bread is golden brown.
• While charlottes are baking, peel and core 2 persimmons and in food processor purée with lemon juice and additional sugar.
• Divide persimmon purée between 2 dessert plates and carefully invert charlottes onto it. Cut remaining persimmmon into wedges and arrange around charlottes.