Description
Delightful Baked Pears with Feta crafts an elegant dessert that blends sweet and savory profiles. Mediterranean-inspired ingredients create a simple yet sophisticated treat you can enjoy with minimal preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pears (Bartlett or Anjou), ripe but firm, halved and cored
- 3.5 oz (100 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsps honey (plus extra for drizzling)
- ¼ cup (30 g) dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsps chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- Fresh thyme or mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and prepare baking dish with parchment paper or light grease coating.
- Pear Preparation: Slice pears lengthwise, remove cores carefully, and position halves cut side up in the prepared dish.
- Flavor Enhancement: Brush pear surfaces with melted butter and sprinkle ground cinnamon for aromatic depth.
- Initial Roasting: Bake pears for 20-25 minutes until tender but structurally intact, creating a soft foundation for additional toppings.
- Cheese and Fruit Filling: Generously stuff pear cavities with crumbled feta cheese and dried cranberries, creating a vibrant flavor profile.
- Nutty Topping: Drizzle honey over pears and scatter chopped walnuts or pecans, introducing a delightful textural contrast.
- Final Baking: Return pears to oven for 5-10 minutes, allowing feta to soften and develop a golden complexion.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh thyme or mint leaves, and add a final honey drizzle, then plate immediately to preserve warmth and visual appeal.
Notes
- Optimize Pear Selection: Choose ripe but firm pears like Bosc or Anjou that can withstand baking without turning mushy, ensuring structural integrity during cooking.
- Control Butter Application: Brush melted butter sparingly to prevent soggy texture, focusing on even coating that enhances caramelization and prevents burning.
- Monitor Cheese Melting: Watch feta carefully during final baking phase to achieve soft, slightly golden edges without becoming overly dry or crispy.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap ingredients for alternative versions – use vegan cheese for dairy-free option, replace honey with maple syrup for plant-based diets, or swap nuts with seeds for nut allergies.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 227
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg