When it comes to dessert, I am usually not a fan. I just like dinner too much, so when that’s over all I am so full all I really want is some some quiet and a glass of good bourbon on the deck… Which I guess is why I go for dessert that are easy to make. This one was super easy, but the feedback from my dinner guests was awesome, so here – you can have it too. This dessert is very little work if you prep the glaze beforehand, which is perfect, because spending your time by the grill while everyone else is chilling after dinner is never fun!
What you need for 4 people:
4-6 pears, nice and ripe, but still firm
A box of quality vanilla ice cream
0.5 cup of good bourbon (I used Maker’s Mark)
A couple cinnamon sticks
1 tsp hot chili flakes, or more, depending
0.5 cup of 100% natural maple syrup
The juice from half a lemon
3-4 tbsp of brown sugar to taste
How to make the glaze (can be made ahead):
- Put everything except the pears in a saucepan
- Heat it slowly and let it simmer 10-15 minutes to reduce it
- Optional but tasty: Caramelize the sugar. This can be hard without a candy thermometer, so you might need one. Just make sure you don’t burn the sugar, because that’s not tasty.
- Remember, this stuff will thicken when cold. Try and get a thick syrupy consistency at room temp, that will make it easier when glazing time comes
How to grill the pears:
- I grilled my pears whole. That was not the best idea. What you should do and I will
next time; peel the pears and cut off the stem, quarter them so you can easily slice out the core - Grill them over direct heat first to get some beautiful sear marks
- Place in a grill pan over indirect, pour/brush the glaze on. Turn and scoop some glaze over them every 10 minutes. I had a dome temp of about 150-160C (300-320F)
- Mine were done after about half an hour. You want them to be soft but not mushy
- Serve with some quality vanilla ice cream and pour the glaze over as a sauce. Tasty!
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