Cinnamon-baked pears with Greek yogurt and walnuts

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C. Toast the walnuts on a small tray for 5 to 7 minutes, until fragrant, then set aside.
2. Halve the pears lengthwise and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon or melon baller. Arrange cut-side up in a small baking dish.
3. Mix the lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and melted butter. Brush over the cut surfaces and into the hollows. Pour the water around, not over, the pears.
4. Cover the dish tightly and bake for 18 minutes. Uncover, baste with the pan juices, and bake for 7 to 17 minutes more, until a thin knife slides into the thickest part with little resistance.
5. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve one warm pear half with 60 g Greek yogurt, toasted walnuts, and a spoonful of the cinnamon pan juices.

Added Sugar Check

The maple syrup or honey contributes about 12 to 13 g added sugar to the batch, or about 3 to 3.25 g per portion. Check the product label for the exact value.

For a no-added-sugar version, omit it, increase the vanilla to 5 ml, and add another 1 g cinnamon. Choose fragrant pears that are just beginning to yield at the stem.

Notes

• Naturally gluten-free when the yogurt, vanilla, spices, and maple syrup or honey are verified gluten-free.
• For someone with celiac disease, use a clean baking dish, brush, knife, board, and work surface; avoid spices or nuts from shared bulk bins.
• Bosc and Conference pears hold their shape especially well. Bartlett or Williams pears cook faster and should be checked early.
• Bake up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate with the juices. Reheat gently and add yogurt and walnuts only when serving. Freezing is not recommended.

Sources Consulted

• Good Food, “Easy baked pears with amaretti”, baked-pear timing and doneness reference
• Celiac Disease Foundation, “Sources of Gluten”

Von Christoph Mayer