Roasted Pear with Port-Poached Pears and Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe is a good dessert for people who have a problem with dairy, " says Broberg. "Just substitute sorbet for the ice cream. From Chris Broberg of Lespinasse New York, NY

Make 6 servings

Ingredients:

Roasted Pears:

6 Anjou pears, peeled, skin reserved

2.5 lb [1.1 kg] granulated sugar

2.1 qt [2 lt] water

1.8 oz [50 g] superfine sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F [175°C].

Place the pears in a 6" [15.25 cm] deep roasting pan lined with crinkled foil. Combine the granulated sugar and water. Pour over the pears.

Cover the pan and braise for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the pears and place on a crinkled foil-lined sheet pan. Sprinkle with superfine sugar.

Set the oven at 450°F [225°C]. Roast 8 to 12 minutes until pears are caramelized. Let cool

White Port-Poached Pears:

3 Anjou pears, cut into small rounds

16.9 liq oz [500 ml] white port

7 oz [200 g] granulated sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cover.

Red Port-Poached Pear:

1 Anjou pear, cut into small dice

8.5 liq oz [250 ml] ruby red port

3.5 oz [100 g] granulated sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cover.

Caramel-Poached Pears:

2.2 lb [1 kg] granulated sugar

2.1 qt [2 lt] water

6 Seckel pears, peeled

Cook the sugar in a large, heavy saucepan to a dark caramel. Deglaze the caramel with water; cool.Add the pears. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the pears are soft.

Vanilla Ice Cream:

2 qt [l.9 lt] milk

2 qt [1.9 lt] heavy cream

28 oz [800 g] granulated sugar, divided

16 vanilla beans, split and scraped

20.8 oz [590 g] egg yolks

Combine the milk, heavy cream, 14 oz [400 g] of the granulated sugar, and vanilla beans in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil.Temper the yolks with the milk mixture. Return to the heat and cook to 183°F [85°C]. Strain. Cool in an ice bath.Process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Pear Soup:

Reserved pear skins

1 qt [1 lt] water

1.8 oz [50 g] granulated sugar

Lemon juice, to taste

Pinch of salt

Combine the pear skins, water, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain. Return to the heat and reduce by half. Adjust the taste with the lemon juice and salt.

Dried Fruit Stuffing:

3.9 oz [ 110 g] dried cranberries

3.9 oz [110 g] angelica, cut into small dice

3.9 oz [110 g] candied orange peel, cut into small dice

1.7 liq oz [50 ml] Grand Marnier

Combine all the ingredients and let stand for at least 1 hour.

Caramel Cage:

1 lb [450 g] fondant patissier*

8 oz [225 g] glucose

Combine the fondant and glucose in a large saucepan. Cook to the caramel stage. Remove from the heat. Cool in an ice bath until slightly thickened. Drizzle over an oiled small bowl which has been turned upside-down. Let set. Remove the cage from the bowl. Repeat to make a total of 6 cages.

Marzipan Pears:

11 oz [314 g] almond paste

2 Tbs [24 g] Poire William, divided

5.5 oz [156 g] granulated sugar

.4 oz [12 g] glucose

Green, yellow, and brown powdered food coloring, as needed

In a mixing bowl, cream the almond paste and 1 Tbs [12 g] of the Poire William. Combine the sugar, glucose, and enough water to make a smooth mixture in a saucepan. Cook to 240°F [116°C]. Pour onto the almond paste and mix until cooled.

Mix the food colors separately with some Poire William to dissolve. Form the marzipan into small pear shapes

and brush with the food coloring. Let dry. Attach to caramel cages.

For Assembly:

Vanilla ice cream

Confectioners' sugar

1. Place a 1 1/2" [3.8 cm] ring mold on a plate, slightly off-center. Fill 3/4" [19 mm] of the mold with the white portpoached

pear rounds.

2. Cut a caramel pear in half, keeping the stem intact. Slice one-half of the caramel pear into a fan shape and place it

next to the white port pears.

3. Spoon some of the diced red port-poached pears along the inside border of the plate.

4. Preheat the oven to 400°F [205°C]. Remove the core from the roasted pears and stuff the pocket with the dried fruit. Top with the stem portion of the pear half. Sprinkle the pears with confectioners' sugar. Place on a baking sheet and bake just until warm, about 5 minutes. Place one of the warm pears next to the pears on the plate. Serve with a quenelle of vanilla ice cream. Cover the plate with a caramel cage.