Once November hits, I want to eat baked pears with every meal. I like to bake pears with honey and butter until they’re fork tender – perfect for oatmeal, ice cream, and pretty much everything. I was thinking of flavors I could infuse into honey, and decided to try ginger. The heat from the ginger was a little overwhelming so I added vanilla and I’m so glad I did. This is my favorite dessert I’ve made so far. Put this on your Thanksgiving menu, STAT!

I N G R E D I E N T S

Dough

• 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter, cubed and cold
• 5 tablespoons of ice-cold water
• 1 egg (eggwash)
• 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar

Filling

• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
• 3-4 Bosc pears
• 1 tablespoon of butter

D I R E C T I O N S

1. Make the dough by combining the flour, granulated sugar, and salt in food processor. Then add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles the size of peas.
2. Pulse in one tablespoon of water at a time, being sure not to over process.
3. Turn the mixture out onto a clean surface and press together until a dough forms. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, vanilla, and ginger until syrupy. Remove from heat.
6. Wash and halve the pears, then remove the cores. Make vertical slices, leaving about half an inch of space near the stem.
7. Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a rough 12 inch round. Carefully move the dough onto a parchment lined pan.
8. Brush some of the honey mixture onto the entire surface of the dough and assemble the sliced pears on top.
9. Fold up the edges of the dough around the pears to prevent the juices from spilling. Drizzle extra honey on top of the pears and dot them with pea sized butter pieces.
10. Beat the egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Brush the eggwash on the top and edges of the dough. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top of the eggwashed dough.
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden. Let cool for at least 20 minutes to let the juices settle and for a a crisper crust.