Roasted Pears & Pomegranate Cream

Preheat oven 400ºF.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, make simple syrup by adding water and sugar and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add sliced pears, melted butter, vanilla extract, sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir gently to combine. Put the mixture in a 9×12 nonstick (or greased) baking dish. Spread out evenly then add simple syrup to entire dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil, place into the oven and bake 15 minutes, uncover and bake additional 5 minutes to crisp up the fruit.

While the pears are roasting, in another bowl add heavy cream and granulated sugar. With a hand mixer, whip for several minutes. Add in pure pomegranate juice and, on slow speed, combine, increasing speed on hand mixer and whipping until creamy and fluffy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve roasted pears in individual plates or bowls and add several dollops of pomegranate cream on top.

The flavor combination in this dessert is so delicious and reminds me of a pear that was poached in pomegranate juice that I ordered many years ago in a famous restaurant in Miami, Florida. It’s a family favorite during the holidays. Enjoy!