Baked pears with mint cream
Instructions:
- Simple and elegant! Just cut the pears in half lengthwise, bake, and serve them dusted with powdered sugar and topped with a dollop of mint-flavored whipped cream. At holiday time, these are spectacular when served in a pretty bowl and garnished with tiny pine boughs stuck between the pear halves. In the summertime, when wild mint is plentiful, use fresh mint instead of the pine boughs.
- 6 Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett pears;
- Fresh lemon juice;
- Powdered sugar;
- 1 cup heavy cream;
- 1⁄4 cup superfine sugar;
- 2 tablespoons green creme de menthe;
- A few drops green food coloring (optional).
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Scrub the pears, dry them, and halve them lengthwise. With a melon bailer or a small measuring spoon, scoop out the center seeds, but leave the core intact (only one half will have the stem). Place the pears with the cut side up in a baking pan in a single layer. Brush with lemon juice. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pears are just tender.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely. Dust heavily with powdered sugar. Arrange on a serving tray or in a bowl, and dust again with powdered sugar. Whip the cream, adding the superfine sugar and creme de menthe. Add food coloring, if desired. Serve the cream on the side to spoon over individual servings of the pears, two halves per serving.