Roasted pears are a warming and very easy winter dessert. The magic lies in the choice of seasoning for the fruit. Perfuming the pears with the comforting aroma of fir sugar will fill your kitchen—as well as your heart—with a sense of unexpected optimism.
Here’s my recipe for roasted pears with fir sugar and yuzu marmalade (and don’t worry: lemons, oranges or clementines make a very good substitute).
I always save some branches from our organically grown Christmas tree so that I can strip the needles from it to use as an aromatic through the cold months. A jar lives in my spice collection, right next to the juniper. Fir needles are more versatile than you might think: I use a whole twig to infuse savory dishes like braised duck or roasted carrots. Or hot tea, or toddies. But the advantage of turning the needles into a fine powder to scent sugar (or salt, for that matter) is that it becomes entirely edible and spares you a mouthful of, well…needles. Fir sugar flavors cookies and other bakes, and the salt is superb with fatty fish, like salmon.
Spruce and pine needles can be deployed in the same way, but fir has the most vivid scent, at least, to my nose.
If the fir needles are dry, about 30 seconds in a spice grinder will turn them into an instant powder. If they are fresh it will create a green paste. Both are good. The smell as you work is an uplifting tonic. It is important to clean the spice grinder at once with either a slosh of rubbing alcohol or a degreaser like Citra Solv—the resin in the needles leaves a sticky film on the blades that will gum them up if they are not wiped well.
For the yuzu marmalade for this roast near recipe, I use either my fermented yuja-cheong (yuzu syrup or uncooked marmalade), or a conventional, cooked marmalade. You could also substitute strips of lemon or orange or clementine zest, chopped finely, and add extra sugar to the pears’ cavities.
Roasted Pears with Fir Sugar and Yuzu Marmalade
Makes 8 servings
I like the firm texture of Bosc but use any pear you like. Baking-apples and quinces are very fine variations, but add an additional hour if you have chosen quinces.
- 4 Bosc pears
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fir powder or paste (from about 2 Tablespoons needles)
- 8 Tablespoons yuzu (or other citrus ) marmalade
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Wash the pears and cut them in half, lengthways. Use a spoon to carve out their seedy hearts (a tablespoon-measuring spoon make very neat cavities). If you like, also cut out the fibres that run up to the stem.
Place the pears in a baking dish or skillet that accommodates them snugly. If they tilt over a lot, cut a thin slice from their curved side so they sit flat (this keeps their filling from escaping).
Fir sugar: In a small bowl mix the sugar with the fir powder or paste (the stickier paste will require you to break it up with your fingers as you mix it into the sugar.
Sprinkle the fir sugar generously across the pears. Place a tablespoon of marmalade in each cavity. Pour 1½ cups of water into the pan (white wine is also delicious). Transfer to the oven.
Bake for 45 minutes and then baste the pears with the cooking liquid. Roast another 45 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure that the pan has not dried out completely. A syrupy liquid is what you’re looking for. Add a splash more water if it gets very brown and dry.
When the pears are soft and have begun to caramelize, they are ready.
Serve hot with a scoop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of whipping cream, with a pinch of extra fir sugar dusted across the top. They are also very good at room temperature.
See also:
- Pistachio Fir Cookies: A Green Gluten-Free Treat
- Pine Cone Jam: A Surprising Foraged Treat
- 5 Ways to Re-Use Your Christmas Tree Post-Holiday
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