About this recipe
This holiday dessert is perfect for non-bakers. With just five minutes of prep time and only 30 minutes in the oven, these brandied pears with cranberry orange goat cheese are a quick and simple crowdpleaser.
“This dish is so easy. It really does scream the holidays,” said Jessi Schoofs of La Clare Creamery. “It’s got a romantic, elegant flair to it.”
It starts with sweet pears that are baked in a delectable brandy sauce, then topped with cranberry orange goat cheese and candied pecans.
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“This cheese screams holiday to me, more so than any other cheese I’ve ever had,” Schoofs said. “I think it’ll soon be synonymous with pumpkin pie.”
Schoofs recommends cutting the pears in half lengthwise and then using a grapefruit spoon to core the pears. If you don’t want to use the brandy, substitute it with the same amount of apple juice.
“The nice thing about the chevre is because this is going to be warm, it’s going to melt into the pear, and you’re going to have this creamy, cheesy, cranberry-orange, brandy-spiced pear, and it is just phenomenal,” Schoofs said.
Ingredients
Yields: 4 servings
Brandied Pears with Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese
Directions
Brandied Pears with Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 2 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, brandy, apple juice, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
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Once butter is melted and brown sugar is dissolved, bring to a simmer and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
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Grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter. Place pears cut side up and pour sauce over the top of the pears. Bake for 30 minutes, basting three times with the sauce. Check tenderness with a skewer.
TIP:
Start checking after 25 minutes. Pears should be tender but not mushy. -
To serve, plate the pears, fill the cavity with 1 ounce of Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese, drizzle with remaining sauce and top with candied pecans.
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For more information, head to laclarefamilycreamery.com.
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