Dried Fruit Poached Pears Recipe

This easy but elegant recipe is an amazing way to get rid of some raisins, dried apricots, dates, figs, or any dried fruit you have lying around. It brings together the bright, fruity, sweetness of pears with the woody, smoky notes of dried fruit. Don’t worry about the dried fruit going to waste, you can use them after their use is done in this recipe, in cookies, breads, cakes, and ice cream. Dried Fruit Poached Pears make a great super easy after brunch dessert!

Ingredients:

5-7 bosc or anjou pears

1 cup dried fruit (e.g. raisins, dried apricots, dried figs, etc…)

3 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

1 cup brown sugar

6 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Add the water, brown sugar, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and dried fruit in a medium pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Set aside to steep off of the heat for at least 2 hours.

Strain out the dried fruit and spices. Bring the liquid to a boil in the same pot while you peal your pears.

For a smoother looking finished pear, after peeling, lightly scrub each pear with a clean sponge to get rid or ridges.

Place the peeled pears in the boiling spiced water and lower the heat to medium low. Boil the pears for 10 minutes, then flip the pears and boil them for another ten minutes. Serve warm or chilled with a scoop of ice cream! Enjoy!

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Brazilian Brigadeiro Recipe

These Brazilian treats are a staple for any party at my house. They’re like chocolate truffles except have deep notes of sweet flavor and have a texture like caramel. They are also incredibly easy and basic to make!

Pan: medium saucepan

Ingredients:

1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tbs butter

4 tbs cocoa powder

Whatever you choose to roll them in after forming them for example: bittersweet chocolate crushed into a fine powder in your food processor  coconut shreds, sprinkles,  toffee, chopped nuts, or anything along those lines really…

Directions: Mix the sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stir constantly over medium low heat until the mixture thickens up and releases from the bottom and sides of the pan. 

If you tilt the pan and the mixture just starts to roam around free from the sides and bottom, remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture onto a large glass plate. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes) before forming into balls.
 

Grease your hands with some butter or cooking spray and tear off half tablespoon to one tablespoon sized balls from the brigadeiro mixture and roll them into balls in your greased palms. Roll in the topping of your choice, i used finely ground bittersweet chocolate to add a different level of sweetness and to cut the richness of the brigadeiro. Place in little mini cupcake liners. Enjoy!