cooking pears

[ugly gourd]

One of the clients at the day care centre where I work bought me some cooking pears any ideas for a pudding using them cheap but no alchol!!

[shirlthegirl43]

I can offer a choice of chocolate pear upside down pudding; fresh pear shortcake; poached pears in sugar syrup or spiced pears. Let me know which (if any) you would like me to type up.

[Nicos]

Tarte Tartin but made with pears and served with a chocolate sauce??
Not got the recipe but you use puff pastry, pears, butter and sugar- you'll need to google the amounts , but it's easy and quick to make so long as you have the right sort of pan/dish. (slurp smilie!!)

[ugly gourd]

I can offer a choice of chocolate pear upside down pudding; fresh pear shortcake; poached pears in sugar syrup or spiced pears. Let me know which (if any) you would like me to type up.

poached pears in syrup and spiced pears sound good if I could have those two Believe it or not thioer a bit funny about chocolate!!

[shirlthegirl43]

Poached Pears (or other fruit) in sugar syrup - from the Good Housekeeping cookery book.

50 - 125g (2-4 oz) sugar
450g (1lb) fresh firm fruit (eg apples, gooseberries, peaches, pears, plums) prepared weight

1. Slowly dissolve the sugar in 300ml (1/2 pt) water in a large heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat. Bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute.
2. Add the fruit and simmer very gently in the sugar syrup until almost cooked, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon.
3. To prevent the fruit becoming mushy, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for several minutes; the fruit will finish cookin gin the residual heat.

Flavourings:

Apples - add a squeeze of lemon juice, a strip of lemon rind, 1 or 2 cloves, or a small piece of cinnamon stick.

Gooseberry - add a piece of bruised root ginger or a pinch of ground ginger.

Peaches - add 45 - 60ml (3-4 tbsp) brandy after the fruit has cooked.

Pears - add 1 or 2 cloves or a small piece of cinnamon stick.

Plums - add the plum kernels or a few almonds while the fruit is coking.

Rhubarb - add a piece of bruised root ginger, a piece of cinnamon stick or a strip of lemon or orange rind.

[shirlthegirl43]

Spiced Pears - recipe book as above

900g (2lb) firm eating pears, peeled, cored and quartered
450mo (3/4pint) cider vinegar
450g (1lb) sugar
1 cinnamon stick
10 cloves
1 small piece of root ginger


1. Place the pears in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook gently for about 5 minutes until almost tender, then drain.

2. Pour the vinegar into a pan and add 300ml (1/2 pint) water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and root ginger. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, then boil for 5 minutes.

3. Add the pears and continue cooking until the pears are tender.

4. Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and pack into prepared jars. Strain the vinegar syrup to remove spices; pour over the pears to cover.

5. Cover the jars immediately with airtight and vinegar-proof tops.

[ugly gourd]

Thankyou shirlthegirl will give them a try!!

[Two_Sheds]

Pears in Red Wine is good, so would Pears in Red Grape Juice work?

[Flummery]

Should do Two Sheds - you could cut down on sugar too as the juice is sweeter than the wine..

[Polly Fouracre]

Not a pudding,but pear chutney is lovely.

[Birdie Wife]

Tarte Tartin but made with pears and served with a chocolate sauce??
Not got the recipe but you use puff pastry, pears, butter and sugar- you'll need to google the amounts , but it's easy and quick to make so long as you have the right sort of pan/dish. (slurp smilie!!)

Mmmm yeah pear tarte tatin is gorgeous, I did one with shortcrust pastry and it was totally delish. Went back for seconds... thirds... then it was gone...