Orange Scented Pears with Vanilla Creme

A lovely Dessert whaich tastes as good as it looks!Ideal for a dinner party

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6  large cooking pears or 6  large dessert pears, peeled and cored
• 4  teaspoons sugar
• 2  tablespoons  grated  orange rind
• 1  tablespoon currants, soaked in a little orange juice until plump
• 250  ml  orange juice
• 1  tablespoon butter, diced
• 60  ml brandy
• 125  ml  smooth  apricot jam, melted with brandy

• CREME ANGLAISE

• 500  ml milk
• 6  egg yolks
• 40  g sugar
• 1  vanilla pod, scraped seeds
• 1  finely grated orange, peel of
• 1  tablespoon  whipped  cream
• 45  ml  orange liqueur (I used Van de Hum)

Directions

1. Sprinkle pears with sugar, orange peel and currants.
2. Place pears in a buttered ovenproof dish and pour orange juice around them.
3. Dot pears with butter.
4. Cover and bake at 180 C for 45-75 minutes.
5. Basting occasionally until pears are very tender.
6. Remove from oven and cool (pears will firm as they cool).
7. Brush with apricot jam and brandy.
8. Grill pears under preheated grill until tops are crisp and lightly charred.
9. To make creme anglaise, heat milk in a heavy-based sauce pan or a double boiler until warm.
10. Whisk egg yolks and sugar and vanilla until creamy.
11. Slowly add warm milk, whisking constantly.
12. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat back of a wooden spoon.
13. Do not boil sauce as it will curdle.
14. Add grated orange peel and remove from stove.
15. Leave until cold, then blend in whipped cream and liqueur.
16. Serve very well chilled with pears at room temperature.