These baked pears are roasted with maple syrup and five spice powder, a spice blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel.
Along with some cooler weather lately, we’ve seen a new offering in the markets that reminds us of the upcoming change of seasons: pears! We can’t believe it’s already time to start making the summer diet change. We made this baked pear recipe at a meal for Alex’s family a few years ago after finding it at Gourmet. It was such a hit that we’ve been like, ‘Remember when we made those baked pears? » Read on for this easy pear dessert recipe.
How to bake pears
Seeing the pears at the farmer’s market this weekend brought back memories. We decided not to wait another season before trying the famous baked pear dessert again. It was as delicious as we remember!
The basic method for cooking pears is simple: peel and halve the pears, then core them. You can leave the stem because it’s pretty. Place them in a casserole dish with some water (to keep them moist), butter and maple syrup. Then sprinkle with five spice powder (more on that below). Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes until tender. The timing will depend on how ripe your pears are, so try to find pears that are as ripe as possible!
To serve these baked pears we decided to use a little Greek yogurt sweetened with maple syrup and we topped them with some toasted almonds. It was a wonderful healthy dessert option. For a more decadent dessert, try our homemade whipped cream, yogurt whipped cream, or coconut whipped cream – they would make the perfect topping! And of course a bit of dark chocolate wouldn’t hurt either.
Let us know in the comments below
What is five spice powder?
Have you ever cooked with Chinese five spice powder? Five Spice Powder is a blend of spices that combines all five flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, salty and umami. The mixture is usually composed of the following five spices: star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Szechuan pepper and fennel seeds. It’s a common ingredient used in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.
The taste of Five Spice Powder is cozy, comforting and tastes like fall! It’s definitely worth buying a jar to prepare these baked pears: you’ll find yourself wanting to add some to all your recipes!
Where to buy five spice powder You can buy five spice powders in some grocery stores in the spice section, or buy bulk spices. It is also available online.
Looking for healthy desserts?
While we go to desserts to splurge, we like to find healthy desserts that have loads of flavor. Aside from those baked pears, here are some of our healthy desserts:
This baked pear recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, naturally sweetened and free from refined sugar. For vegans, plant-based, and dairy-free, omit the Greek yogurt and use coconut oil.
The description
These baked pears are roasted with maple syrup and five spice powder, a spice blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel.
- 4 ripe pears
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 Lemon)
- 3 tablespoons the water
- 1 tbsp butter or coconut oil (for vegans)
- 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup, divided
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Peel the pears; Halve, then remove the seeds.
- Grease a casserole dish with butter. Place the pears in the pan, cut-side down; then squeeze with lemon juice. Pour the water around the pears and place small chunks of butter or coconut oil around the bowl. Drizzle with 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup and sprinkle with Chinese five spice powder.
- Bake uncovered, brushing frequently with pan juices, until pears are tender and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. (Exact timing will depend on how ripe the pears are; if they’re still not tender, cook them a little longer!)
- While the pears are roasting, prepare the Greek yogurt and almonds: In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup and vanilla. Heat the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown – about 3-4 minutes (be sure to watch them constantly to avoid burning them).
- To serve, arrange 2 roasted pear halves on a plate. Garnish with a dollop of vanilla Greek yoghurt and toasted almonds.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Baked pears, Chinese five spices, what are five spices, how to cook pears, roast pears, pear dessert recipe
