Ripe pears take less time to roast. If your pears are really hard, bake them for 10 minutes in an empty baking dish before adding the rest of the ingredients. I prefer Anjou pears for this dish, as they take on the flavours of the spices best, but Bartlett pears would be a good substitute. The salty finish adds flavour and cuts sweetness.

Ingredients

• 4 firm Anjou pears, peeled, halved and cored
• 1 cup apple juice
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 4-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon Maldon salt

Method

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place pears, cut-side down, in a baking dish just large enough to hold a single layer. Combine apple juice, white wine, whipping cream, sugar, peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon and salt. Pour over pears.

Place in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes or until pears are tender and translucent. If the pears are not covered with liquid you may need to turn them over halfway through cooking.

Strain sauce into a pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is golden and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Pour sauce over pears and sprinkle each pear with an extra tiny pinch of salt just before serving. Serves 4.