Warm Pear Compote

This is love in an ice cream dish.  I wait all year to have my ice cream drowned in this gooey sauce.  I have to admit that I almost always lick my bowl clean, except of course if the children are watching.  This recipe is one my Mom started making when I was in high school.  It doesn’t make a lot, so if you’re serving more than 4 people, or if you just love it like I do, you might want to double it.  Again, you might want to plan on a few extra pears to get you your 3½ cups.

 Vanilla Ice Cream with Warm Pear Compote

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

3 medium-size pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, about 3 ½ cups
½ cup sugar
¼ cup apple juice
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon vanilla
vanilla ice cream
Directions: In 10-in. skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter; add pears; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently until crisp-tender.  Add sugar and cider; bring to boil, stirring. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until pears are tender and coated with syrup.  Remove from heat; stir in spice and vanilla. Cool slightly. Serve over vanilla ice cream

Caramel Pear Pie

Pears are in season right now and so yummy. I love to eat a fresh ripe pear. I have finished canning my bushel or so and now I am ready to put them to work in desserts. I made this pie Sunday night and it is so good. It’s a fun switch from apple. Pears are so delicious in pies and in desserts in general. Just a couple of notes, if you don’t have caramels, caramel ice cream topping would work just fine, just omit the milk. Also it says it takes about 6 medium pears to make 6 cups, well their idea of medium and my idea of medium must be different because it took me about 12 pears to get 6 full cups. Last, don’t forget to put a pan on the rack below the pie to catch any drips. I really do like this pie better cold than warm, which is strange for a cooked fruit pie. Look for pear dessert number 2 tomorrow.

Caramel Pear Pie
6 c. sliced peeled ripe pears (about 6 medium)
1 T. lemon juice
½ c. plus 3 T. sugar, divided
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
¾ t. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
¼ t. nutmeg
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 in)
¾ c. old fashioned oats
1 T. flour
¼ c. cold butter or margarine
18 caramels
5 T. milk
¼ c. chopped pecans
Directions: In a large bowl, combine pears and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine ½ c. sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to pears; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Pour into pastry shell. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk. (Faster in the microwave at 70% power) Stir often. Stir until smooth; add pecans. Drizzle over pie. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack (Better cold with whipped cream or cool whip.)