Kate's Honey-Glazed Roasted Pears

The other day, I received a wonderful package in the mail...
My very own copy of Kate Zuckerman's The Sweet Life (Desserts from Chanterelle).

This book is awesome, to put it lightly. So many books are written without telling me WHY I'm doing certain things(perhaps to increase my dependence on their recipes). This book tells me why I'm doing what I'm doing, and how to achieve the same result in other ways. The science behind baking.

It's all infinitely fascinating to me. So, if you guys are aware of any more quality cookbooks that have a good food science foundation, PLEASE, let me know. :)

Anyway, I've read this book from cover to cover at least 3 times since getting it (and individual recipes and anecdotes many more) and decided to start with this pear recipe.
Cheap to make, but my goodness it takes forever. (at least 2 hours in the oven...with you doing stuff every 15-20 minutes)

All of that aside? DELICIOUS.

Kate suggests making these while you're making something else (so that you're in the kitchen and more likely to remember to mess with them every 15 minutes), and I suggest that too, as long as you're good about dividing your attention.
I was making these pears, making a cake (a very...special cake...) and watching a marathon of America's Next Top Model.

It's kind of amazing I didn't burn something. :P

Now, I only made two of these pears, but I'll give you the full recipe she states (which is for 10 pears). I halved the other ingredients (just to make sure there would be enough caramel at the end). So even if you're only making 1 or 2, use the amount for about 5.


Basting, getting close to done

Yum yum!

Honey-Glazed Roasted Pears:
by Kate Zuckerman
1 lemon
10 ripe pears (I used bosc because those are my favorite, but others are fine too)
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of honey
2 1/2 cups of water

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Put the oven rack the highest it will go without smashing the pears against the top of the oven. (my top shelf is too high :( )
Line a roasting pan (I used a 8X8 pan for my two pears, they fit perfectly) with aluminum foil
Cut the zest off the lemon in long strips. Peel the pears (leave the stems on!) and slice off the bottom so they will stand in the pan. Put the pears in the pan, and add all of the ingredients. No need to mix stuff together, it'll all melt in the oven.

If you want, you can place the pan on a lined cookie sheet in case the liquid boils over.

Bake the pears until the honey and sugar have dissolved and the pears begin to brown, about 30 minutes.
Push the pears on their side and bake for 20 minutes. Flip them over and do the same.
If a knife inserted into the pears slides in easily, then stand the pears up and bake them for 15 minutes. If not, flip them over again for another 20 minutes.
Take the pears out and baste them with the liquid from the pan. Put them back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Repeat this for 45 minutes.
If the pears aren't nice and caramel-colored, then you can cook them for another 10-20 minutes.
The liquid should be a thick caramel by now. Baste the pears one last time, and set them on a plate or something to cool.
Once they're cool, remove the core from the bottom with a paring knife or a melon baller. (I didn't, because I'm lazy, but it's nicer to not have to eat around the seeds XD )
Reheat them in the oven prior to serving. (warm, not hot!)

Serve with the caramel sauce :)

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