Pear and almond gratin
I don’t often get round to blogging recipes. I tend to take photos but just never get round to writing the posts up, but this time, I’ve got a really easy and quick store cupboard dessert that’s got to be tried when you’re stuck at the last minute for a pudding.
Introducing my pear and almond gratin. Ok so it sounds a bit weird – a gratin for a dessert – but I didn’t have the ingredients for the peach and ginger one I saw, so decided to amend it. The original recipe was peaches, gingernut biscuits and cream cheese.
I love pears, and they’re so handy for quick puddings (Nigella Lawson’s express chocolate and pear pudding is one I make a lot). So I always keep a tin of pears in the larder. I always think pears go brilliantly with almond flavours, and I had some rattafia biscuits ready for Christmas that I thought would work.
N is mostly lactose free – definitely for liquid or softer cheeses – so I used Lactofree soft cheese. I love the lactofree products because they still taste like the original products, rather than the dairy replacement versions. Even the OH doesn’t notice if I swap the soft cheese. But you can use whatever soft cheese you prefer.
Pear & Almond Gratin
Serves 4-6
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time 10 mins
Ingredients
2 x 400g tinned pear halves in syrup or juice
200g soft cheese
Amaretti or Ratafia biscuits (Italian almond biscuits)
Instructions
1. Drain pears retaining the syrup or juice, and place in a shallow dish, flat side up.
2. In a bowl, add a 50-80ml of syrup to the soft cheese and mix in until smooth.
3. Pour some of the syrup over the pears.
4. Top the pears with the soft cheese
5. Break up the biscuits to crumbs and sprinkle over the cheesy pears.
6. Grill or bake for 10 mins until the cheese is warmed through
7. Serve up a few pears for each person and enjoy
You don’t really need anything to accompany it, but it’s so quick and easy. And great for children to help put together.
What’s your store cupboard essential for quick desserts?