8 Sweet and Savory Pear Recipes That are Pear-fect for Fall (2024)

FAQs

What are the best pears for baking tarts? ›

With so many varieties available on the market, it can be tough to choose which pears work best for baking. We recommend using Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou pears. These varieties have the highest volume and are widely available in grocery stores year-round.

Add about 1 1/2 inches of a liquid that adds and enhances flavor–wine or fruit juice, for instance. Add your choice of seasonings such as sugar, spices or lemon slices.

Caramelized pears

1Core pears and cut into quarters or cubes. 2In a large frying pan, melt a little butter, then add the pieces of pear. 3For a splendidly sweet taste, add a touch of brown sugar, honey or maple syrup. The mix can also be enhanced with cinnamon, spices, fresh ginger or lemon juice.

No, you do not have to peel pears for baking. The peel softens nicely. You can of course peel them if you prefer, but I usually leave it on.

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!

Pear: Pairs well with almond, apple, caramel, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, clove, ginger, hazelnut, nutmeg, pecan, raspberry, rosemary, vanilla, and walnut. It mixes best with brandy, port, crème de cassis, Grand Marnier, kirsch, rum, whiskey, and dry red white, and sparkling wines.

Comice pears were originally cultivated in France. They're known as the sweetest pear variety, and are often the variety shipped in gift boxes. Because of this, they're sometimes given the nickname “the Christmas pear.” Comice pears have light green skin with a blush of pinkish red.

Forelle. “Forelle” means “trout” in German, a namesake reflected in this small pear's red-spotted green skin. Firmer and tarter than other varieties, this pear resembles an apple in both taste and texture, great for eating out of hand or sliced with salads, cheese, or a drizzle of honey.

From Bosc to Anjou, there's a pear for almost everyone's pallet. Besides their delicious flavor, pears are also very nutritious. Their fiber content promotes digestive health and blood sugar regulation, and the antioxidants in their skin can counter chronic inflammation linked with a variety of chronic diseases.

D'Anjou has a firmer texture than Bartlett and won't change color as it ripens (so you have to check the neck). Once it's ripe and ready, it's hard to beat the juicy, sweet and citrus-like flavor of a d'Anjou.

What is the difference between Bartlett and D Anjou pears? ›

Unlike Bartlett pears, which change from green to yellow as they ripen, D'Anjou pears will remain green. You can keep your pears at room temperature to ripen them, which often takes about three to five days. You can also store them in your refrigerator to slow the ripening process.