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Double-Dipped Pears




Source of Recipe


Martha Stewart Living


Recipe Introduction


This year, add a twist to the classic caramel apple. Use twigs for sticks, pears instead of apples, and a delicious layer of chocolate and toasted almonds.



"Seckel pears, available from mid-August to January, are sweet, with a softer flesh. Small and round, they are the perfect size for this rich treat. They have olive-green skin, and you will often detect a maroon blush covering the entire pear. Unlike many other pears, this one, grown in orchards in Oregon and Washington, is native to the United States."





List of Ingredients




1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
10 twigs or wooden dowels
10 Seckel, or other small variety pears, washed and stemmed
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
7 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon shortening


Recipe



1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet, and toast in oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool. Coarsely chop almonds, and set aside.

2. Carefully wash and dry twigs, if using them. Insert a 5-inch twig or wooden dowel into the top of each pear. Set the pears on an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet lined with a Silpat (a French nonstick baking mat). Set aside. Fill a medium bowl with ice and water, and set aside.

3. Place sugar, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the temperature registers 245° on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and immediately plunge the saucepan into ice water to stop the cooking. Dip one pear into the caramel to coat, using a spoon if necessary. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pears.

4. In a double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate and shortening. Remove from heat. Dip caramel-coated pears into chocolate, and immediately roll in chopped almonds. Return coated pear to the Silpat-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pears. Chill until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.


YIELD: 10