Honey Roasted Pears with Mascarpone and Pistachios
If you love simple desserts that taste elegant without any fuss, you are going to love these roasted pears. They lightly caramelize in the oven and pair perfectly with creamy mascarpone, crunchy pistachios and buttery puff pastry stars. This is one of those recipes you could easily serve to friends at a dinner party, yet it comes together with everyday ingredients and very little prep. The olive oil adds a rich fruity note, the orange brightens everything, and the honey brings the perfect sweetness.
Ingredients
Roasted Pears
- 4 firm, ripe pears such as Bosc or red Anjou halved and cored
- 3 tablespoon Terra Delyssa Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Puff Pastry Stars
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed (8-10” sheet)
- 2 tablespoon Terra Delyssa Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 small orange
- 1 teaspoon coarse sugar like demerara sugar for sprinkling
Mascarpone Topping
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon Terra Delyssa Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pinch of sea salt
To Finish
- ⅓ cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
- Pomegranate arils
- Mint
- Additional honey for drizzling optional
Instructions
Make the Puff Pastry Stars (Can be made in advance)
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll lightly to flatten out. Cut out shapes using star cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Whisk the olive oil and vanilla until smooth. Brush each star lightly with the olive oil mixture. Add a sprinkle of orange zest and a touch of coarse sugar.
- Chill the stars in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps the pastry puff more evenly.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Watch closely so the sugar does not burn. Bake in batches if needed.
Roast the Pears
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Prepare the pears: Place the pear halves, cut side up, in a small roasting pan.
- Tip: When coring, use a measuring spoon or a melon baller to scoop the seeds cleanly. This keeps the cavity neat and prevents the pear from tearing.
- In a bowl, whisk the olive oil, honey, brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla and salt. Pour the mixture over the pears to coat.
- Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until tender. A knife should slide in easily when they are ready.
- Remove the pears from the pan and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Reserve the pan juices for serving. As they cook, the juice, honey, and sugar come together into a light, flavourful syrup.
Prepare the Mascarpone
- Stir together mascarpone, honey, orange zest, olive oil and salt until smooth.
- Keep at room temperature if serving soon or refrigerate until needed.
Warm the Puff Pastry
- Place the baked puff pasty stars in the oven at 325°F for 3 to 5 minutes to refresh them.
Assemble
- Spoon a dollop of mascarpone onto each plate. Set one or two warm pear halves on top of or beside the mascarpone. Add two or three puff pastry stars. Scatter pistachios and pomegranate arils. Drizzle with the warm pan juices and garnish with mint. Optional: drizzle with extra honey.
💬Tried this recipe?
- We'd LOVE it if you left a rating and review. Your feedback helps others… and it would really make our day!
Video
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!