Description
Ina Garten’s roasted pear & apple sauce blends sweet autumn fruits with warm spices. Home cooks can easily prepare this simple, elegant dessert accompaniment that highlights seasonal produce with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) sweet red apples, such as Macoun or Empire (8 apples)
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) ripe Bosc pears (7 pears)
- 2 large navel oranges (zest and juice)
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 180°C (350°F) for optimal roasting conditions.
- Citrus Infusion: Zest and juice oranges and lemon directly into a nonreactive Dutch oven, creating a bright, tangy base for the sauce.
- Fruit Preparation: Methodically peel, quarter, and core apples and pears, immediately coating them in the citrus mixture to preserve their pristine color and prevent oxidation.
- Seasoning Layer: Generously scatter light brown sugar and ground cinnamon over the fruit, strategically placing cold butter pieces to impart richness and prevent adherence to the pot.
- Roasting Process: Secure the lid tightly and roast in the preheated oven for 1¼ to 1½ hours, allowing the fruits to transform, softening and caramelizing into a luscious compote.
- Finishing Touch: Gently deconstruct the roasted fruits with a whisk, maintaining a rustic texture that celebrates the natural integrity of the ingredients, creating a nuanced, textured sauce.
Notes
- Prevent Fruit Browning: Quickly toss apple and pear pieces in citrus juice to stop oxidation and maintain fresh, bright color.
- Butter Temperature Matters: Use cold butter pieces to create a richer flavor and prevent fruit from sticking during roasting.
- Texture Control: Whisk gently to create a rustic sauce, leaving some fruit chunks for interesting mouthfeel and homemade appeal.
- Optimal Roasting Time: Watch carefully between 1¼ to 1½ hours to achieve perfect caramelization without burning the fruit.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg