Caramel Pears With Rosemary, Honey and Walnuts

This beautiful, aromatic autumn dessert can be prepared several hours in advance, then re-warmed to serve. Feel free to use any variety of pear, and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired. - David Tanis

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 small, slightly under-ripe pears, such as Bartlett, unpeeled, halved, and cored

• 2star anise pods

• 1(2-inch) piece cinnamon stick

• ½teaspoon fennel seeds

• 2whole cloves

• ½cup light brown sugar

• ½cup golden raisins

• ¼cup dark rum

• 3tablespoons lemon juice

• 3tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small cubes

• 2tablespoons mild honey

• 1tablespoon rosemary leaves, from a small sprig

• ½cup roughly chopped walnuts

Directions:

Step 1

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Choose a baking dish or roasting pan large enough to hold pears in one layer, or use 2 pans. Scatter star anise, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, and cloves on the bottom of the dish.

Step 2

Put pears in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, raisins, rum, and lemon juice. Coat pears evenly with the mixture. Transfer to baking dish, cut-side down, in one layer. Dot with butter.

Step 3

Bake, uncovered, until pears are soft and well caramelized, about 45 minutes. Remove pears from the oven, and let them sit at room temperature. Shortly before serving, drizzle the pears with honey, and sprinkle them with rosemary leaves and chopped walnuts. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm with plenty of sauce from the baking pan.

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Recipe Source: New York Times Cooking