Pear Cobbler Recipe - Holiday Dessert Recipe - Savory Simple (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cooking method for pears? ›

Poached Pears

Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer the pears until cooked through, 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the pears. While they are poaching, every so often gently push down the pears to make sure they are submerged in poaching liquid. (The round of paper helps to keep the pears moist and wet.)

They're super versatile: Pair them with cheese, like for these Pear and Blue Cheese Crostini, turn them into amazing desserts, like Ree's Pear Crisp, or simply eat them out of hand! If you want to freeze pears simply for smoothies or sauces, go ahead and just cut up the pears and freeze them.

No need to peel, just slice pears in half and take out the core with a knife or melon baller. This fun fruit is high in fiber – which helps keep you full – and potassium, a powerful player in hydration, muscle and nerve functioning and regulating blood pressure.

This is known as enzymatic browning. Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

What enhances the flavor of pears? A warm spice like cinnamon does the trick. It's especially fantastic combined with the molasses flavor of the brown sugar. Ginger is also delicious!

Pears are often considered best eaten fresh and just-sliced, making them a perfect partner for wholesome, simple snacking – think sliced pears atop whole-grain toast, wrapped with prosciutto, dipped in nut butters, or partnered with blue or aged, hard cheeses.

For other fruits like apples or pears, consider pairing them with cheese, nut butter, or cinnamon for a delightful combination. As side dishes or toppings, try adding granola, chopped nuts, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce to enhance their flavors.

Yes, you can freeze fruit directly in a Ziploc bag. Just make sure you draw as much air out of the bag to avoid any funky flavors from the freezer. To do this, just put the fruit in the bag and zip it almost to the end.

If your pears are destined for pie, try freezing pear slices in a parchment- or plastic wrap-lined pie pan. Once pears are frozen, slip them into a freezer bag. They'll be ready to drop into a pie crust and bake—no thawing required. Just use a slightly longer baking time.

Do pears get mushy when frozen? ›

Pears don't freeze well directly as they go mushy brown on thawing. Bringing slowly to simmering is the answer - simply boiling them will give you a brown pulp.

Fruit can be cooked using moist heat or dry heat methods. To make a sauce, compote or to poach would require moist heat. Liquid and seasoning is often added to soften and infuse a new flavor. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chilies and saffron can be used to add a deep and complex flavor to fruit.

For some fruits, poaching is a way to soften them up for dishes where they would otherwise add little or no textural value. Pears are often poached so that they become soft enough to be pureed into a sauce or blended into a soup.

Cover and steam for about 10-12 minutes or until the pears are tender. If you opt for boiling, place the pears in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the pears are soft and easily mashed with a fork.

Use any variety of pear you like including Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc, or any other variety. You can use firm unripe pears and also softer ripe ones. The only difference is how long they take to cook—unripe pears will take a little longer to soften up.