PEARS ARE AT their peak throughout the fall, and this elegant dessert is a wonderful way to highlight their distinctive yet delicate flavor.
Fall is by far my favorite time of year to entertain, with the bountiful variety of produce still available at local farmers’ markets. I absolutely love Warren pears—so juicy, with a perfectly balanced sweetness. If you can’t find them, the Bosc variety also works well in this recipe.
This dish is ideal for serving at dinner parties, as the homemade amaretti will keep well for up to a week in the freezer and the roasted pears and crème fraîche may be prepared well ahead. Simply rewarm the pears in a microwave right before plating and topping with the crème fraîche and amaretti.
If you’re short on time, it is fine to substitute good-quality store-bought amaretto cookies (I prefer the Lazzaroni brand), but I hope you’ll give the homemade version a try—I think you’ll be delighted by how simple they are to make, and how excellent the results.
FOR THE AMARETTO COOKIES
Yield: 24 (2-inch-diameter) cookies
Ingredients
- 4 pears (they should be firm, and Warren or Bosc varieties are preferred)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
- ¼ cup golden brown sugar
- ½ cup Cognac, heated (or hot water)
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 6 amaretto cookies (see recipe below)
- 3 cups blanched almond meal
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus 1 cup for dusting
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (or amaretto liqueur)
Preparation
FOR THE VANILLA ROASTED PEARS
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Peel the pears and cut in half, lengthwise. Using a melon-baller or a sharp teaspoon, remove the seeds from the core of the fruit. Place the peeled pears cut side up in a shallow baking dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, vanilla paste and cognac (or water) to dissolve. Pour the hot liquid over the pears in the baking dish and cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake for 25–35 minutes, depending on the size and ripeness of your pears, until tender when pricked with a knife. Baste every 10 minutes or so with the cognac-sugar mixture. Remove from the oven and allow the pears to cool while you whip the crème fraîche.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the crème fraîche with the white sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
Arrange 2 pear halves per person on a serving plate or in a small, shallow bowl. Top with whipped crème fraîche, and crumble amaretto cookies over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
FOR THE AMARETTO COOKIES
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the almond flour, white sugar, 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar and salt. Mix on low speed, just until combined.
Add the egg whites and almond extract and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together and forms a ball, about 3 minutes. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper. Place the remaining cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl. Scoop 1 teaspoonful of the dough at a time and roll between the palms of your hands to form small balls. Toss each ball in the powdered sugar to coat completely.
Arrange the balls on the lined baking pans, 12 cookies per pan, with 2 inches between each cookie. Gently press each ball with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the cookies are a deep golden brown and slightly cracked on top. They should still be just a bit soft when pressed.
Allow to cool at least 10 minutes on the sheet pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The longer these sit, the crunchier they become. If you prefer a crunchier amaretto cookie, bake them for an additional 5 minutes. I like mine with a slightly chewy center and crispy top and edges, so 25 minutes is about perfect for me.
