1,000 Years of Artisanal Cheesmaking

Comté stuffed Baked PearsErin Harris

Comté stuffed Baked Pears

20 Photo Comte Baked Pear 2
Comté stuffed Baked Pears
 
Author:
Serves: 8
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Comté is a versatile cheese that plays well with both sweet and savory flavors. In this recipe, the melted Comté creates a pleasing contrast alongside baked pears, brown sugar, and browned butter, with raisins and walnuts for depth and crunch. Serve this dish as a dessert cheese course with your favorite late harvest Riesling or Vin Santo, and some butter cookies.
Ingredients
  • 8 bosc pears
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, divided
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 ounces Comté cheese, rind removed and shredded
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ⅓ cup walnut pieces
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  2. Wash and dry the pears, and cut each in half vertically. Using a small spoon, scoop out the core removing the seeds and hard bits, making a small well for the filling. Arrange the pears cut side up in a 9” x 13” baking dish and set aside.
  3. In a small sauce pot over medium heat, add the butter, ¼ cup of the brown sugar, pinch of salt, and mix together. Cook for approximately 3 minutes or until the butter and sugar have melted together. Pour over the pears and bake for 15 minutes.
  4. While the pears are baking, make the filling. Mix together the remaining brown sugar, Comté cheese, cinnamon, raisins, and walnut pieces.
  5. After 15 minutes, bring the pears out of the oven and divide the filling evenly amongst the pears, mounding the filling into the well and pressing down gently. Return the pears to the oven for another 10 minutes.
  6. Serve the Comté stuffed pears while still warm, or allow to cool and reheat before serving.