Description
Ina Garten’s roasted pear and apple sauce brings rustic elegance to classic fruit compote. Caramelized fruit essences blend seamlessly, creating a sophisticated side dish that complements both sweet and savory plates while delivering pure seasonal comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) sweet red apples, such as Macoun or Empire (8 apples)
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) ripe Bosc pears (7 pears)
Fruits and Zests:
- Zest and juice of 2 large navel oranges
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Sweeteners and Spices:
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), ensuring the rack is positioned in the middle for even heat distribution.
- Select a nonreactive Dutch oven and meticulously zest and juice both oranges and lemon, creating a fragrant citrus foundation.
- Carefully peel, quarter, and remove the cores from the apples and pears, immediately tossing the fruit pieces into the citrus mixture to prevent browning.
- Generously sprinkle light brown sugar and ground cinnamon over the fruit, then dot the surface with small, cold butter pieces to enhance richness and prevent sticking.
- Cover the Dutch oven with its tight-fitting lid, transferring it to the preheated oven for approximately 1¼ to 1½ hours, allowing the fruits to soften and caramelize.
- Remove from the oven and use a robust whisk to gently break down the roasted fruits, maintaining a rustic texture with some delightful fruit chunks.
- Let the compote cool slightly, then transfer to serving dishes, appreciating the vibrant colors and aromatic blend of spices and citrus.
Notes
- Pick perfectly ripe fruits that are firm but not hard, ensuring they’ll roast beautifully and develop deep, caramelized flavors during baking.
- Squeeze citrus fruits moments before adding zest, capturing the most vibrant and intense aromatics that transform the entire sauce’s brightness.
- Gentle mashing creates rustic textures, letting each fruit chunk tell its delicious roasted story with varying levels of smoothness.
- Butter works magic by adding luxurious richness and helping fruits caramelize, creating complex layers of flavor that dance on your palate.
- Covering the baking dish traps precious moisture, allowing fruits to steam and roast simultaneously without losing their natural juiciness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg