Ingredients:
6 large cooking pears or 6 large dessert pears, peeled and cored
4 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1 tablespoon currants, soaked in a little orange juice until plump
250 ml orange juice
1 tablespoon butter, diced
60 ml brandy
125 ml smooth apricot jam, melted with brandy
500 ml milk
6 egg yolks
40 g sugar
1 vanilla pod, scraped seeds
1 finely grated oranges, peel of
1 tablespoon whipped cream
45 ml orange liqueur ( I used Van de Hum)
Directions:
Sprinkle pears with sugar, orange peel and currants.
Place pears in a buttered ovenproof dish and pour orange juice around them.
Dot pears with butter.
Cover and bake at 180 C for 45-75 minutes.
Basting occasionally until pears are very tender.
Remove from oven and cool (pears will firm as they cool).
Brush with apricot jam and brandy.
Grill pears under preheated grill until tops are crisp and lightly charred.
To make creme anglaise, heat milk in a heavy-based sauce pan or a double boiler until warm.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar and vanilla until creamy.
Slowly add warm milk, whisking constantly.
Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat back of a wooden spoon.
Do not boil sauce as it will curdle.
Add grated orange peel and remove from stove.
Leave until cold, then blend in whipped cream and liqueur.
Serve very well chilled with pears at room temperature.
Servings: 6
Time preparation: 15 min.
Time total: 60 min.