Poached Pears in Goat’s Milk Caramel

In a large pot add the rum, orange juice and one cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add the pears. Reduce your heat to low and cover, cooking for at least 1 hour, turning the fruit around in the pot regularly.

For the cajeta, begin by stirring together the milk, sugar, remaining cinnamon stick and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil over medium heat constantly stirring. When the milk boils remove from the heat and add the baking soda, which will immediately create a frothy boil. Keep stirring and return to the stove. Stir and stir until the color of the mixture begins to turn into a golden brown. After about 1 hour, remove the cinnamon stick and stir for about 15 more minutes. The sauce should thicken up quickly and once it’s sticking to your spoon, it’s time to serve.

Place the pears upright on a plate and drizzle the cajeta all over the fruit. Sprinkle a bit of the orange zest over the fruit and you’re ready to eat. There will definitely be excess sauce, which can be stored in a Mason jar and kept for up to 2 weeks.