Roasted Pears with Pear White Balsamic & Vanilla
Roasted Pears with Pear White Balsamic
Description
Warm roasted pears become tender and lightly caramelized before being finished with Pear White Balsamic, vanilla, and the delicate richness of Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Simple enough for an easy weeknight dessert yet elegant enough for entertaining, they're especially good with vanilla ice cream, mascarpone, or toasted nuts.
Recipe Overview
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30–35 minutes
Total Time: 40–45 minutes
Ingredients
4 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears, halved lengthwise and cored
1½ tablespoons Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Pear White Balsamic, divided
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Optional for Serving:
Vanilla ice cream, mascarpone, or lightly whipped cream
Toasted walnuts or pecans
Ground cinnamon
Instructions
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the pears in a single layer with a small amount of the Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
• Place the pears cut-side down in the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle lightly with the kosher salt.
• Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the cut sides are beginning to caramelize and the pears are becoming tender but still hold their shape.
• Carefully turn the pears cut-side up. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the Pear White Balsamic over and around the pears.
• Return to the oven for 5–8 minutes, until the pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife and the balsamic and pear juices have become lightly glossy. Avoid reducing the balsamic until thick or syrupy.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir the vanilla extract and remaining 1 tablespoon Pear White Balsamic into the warm pan juices, then spoon the juices over the pears.
• Serve warm, spooning additional pan juices over each pear. Add vanilla ice cream, mascarpone, whipped cream, toasted nuts, or a light dusting of cinnamon if desired.
Chef’s Tip
Choose pears that are ripe enough to be flavorful but still firm when gently pressed near the stem. Roasting them cut-side down encourages better caramelization, while adding most of the Pear White Balsamic near the end preserves its bright pear character. The final tablespoon added after roasting gives the dessert a fresh balsamic finish.
Flavor Variations
• Butter Flavored Olive Oil can replace the Arbequina for a richer, more dessert-like finish that's especially good with vanilla ice cream or toasted pecans.
• Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil can replace the Arbequina for a brighter citrus note that keeps the dessert light and fresh.
• Fig Dark Balsamic can replace the Pear White Balsamic for a deeper, richer variation that pairs especially well with mascarpone, walnuts, or blue cheese.
• Add toasted walnuts or pecans just before serving for crunch and a warm nutty contrast.
Pairings
Serve the pears warm with vanilla ice cream, mascarpone, lightly whipped cream, shortbread cookies, or toasted walnuts or pecans. For a cheese-course style dessert, pair them with mild goat cheese, mascarpone, or a small amount of blue cheese.
Complete Your Dessert
Turn these roasted pears into an elegant plated dessert
Keep the warm Pear Balsamic-roasted fruit at the center, then add something creamy, something crisp, and a final spoonful of the flavorful pan juices.
Finished Dessert
Warm roasted pears with vanilla ice cream, toasted pecans, and Pear White Balsamic pan juices
Dessert Base
Serve the warm roasted pears on their own or alongside vanilla ice cream, mascarpone, lightly whipped cream, or a crisp shortbread cookie
Fruit, Sauce & Garnish
Spoon the warm pear-balsamic pan juices over the fruit and finish with toasted walnuts or pecans, cinnamon, or a few thin slices of fresh pear
Flavor Pairing
Pear White Balsamic reinforces the fruit's natural flavor while Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil adds gentle richness without making the dessert heavy
Recipe Notes
Bosc and Anjou pears are especially useful for roasting because firm-ripe fruit can soften in the oven while still holding its shape. Pears that are already very soft may become mushy before the cut surface has time to caramelize.
Most of the Pear White Balsamic is added near the end of roasting rather than at the beginning. This gives the balsamic enough oven time to mingle with the pear juices and become glossy without cooking away too much of its fresh fruit character.
The vanilla is stirred into the warm pan juices after the pears leave the oven. This keeps its aroma more noticeable than if it were exposed to the full roasting time.
These pears are best served warm, but leftovers can be refrigerated and gently rewarmed before serving.
