Caramel and pears are a classic combo and the aniseed and whisky infuse the sauce with smoky undertones.
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
50 grams butter
3 large ripe pears, quartered and cored (I used brown-skinned Beurre Bosc pears)
2 tablespoons whisky or other spirit of choice
100 grams mild honey
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
¼ teaspoon whole aniseed (see Cook’s note)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
½ cup cream
½ teaspoon sea salt
extra lightly whipped cream for serving
METHOD
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat then add the butter. When foaming, add the pears and cook, turning to colour each side until lightly golden. Transfer the pears to a serving dish.
Add the whisky to the pan and let it bubble up then add the honey, vanilla, aniseed and the almonds and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it’s a good caramel colour. Add the cream and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the salt then spoon the sauce over the pears and serve with extra cream if desired.
Cook's note: Aniseed is not the same as star anise. Aniseed is the spice used to make the French drink Pastis and is widely used in Europe and the Middle East to flavour breads and cakes. Star anise is a small star-shaped spice with 5-6 points, each containing a seed. It is used in Chinese five spice and many Asian recipes. Aniseed is available from gourmet and specialty food stores.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
Related Content
latest issue:
127
In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.