CARAMEL PEAR SHORTCAKES WITH
WHIPPED CREAM AND
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
Serves 8.
Ingredients:
Shortcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. plus 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
5 T. unsalted butter, cut into
small cubes
About 1 cup buttermilk
Shortcake Topping:
1/4 cup whole milk or cream
1/4 cup sugar
Pears and Whipped Cream:
3 T. unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and
seeds scraped out
6 Anjou or Red Bartlett pears, peeled,
cored and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup sugar, divided use
2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Butterscotch Sauce:
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 T. unsalted butter
Pinch salt
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
*
Directions:
1. For shortcakes, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until butter is still visible but very small. Gently stir in 1/2 cup of the buttermilk. Keep stirring in more buttermilk until a soft dough is formed.
2. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and pat to a 1 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out 8 (1 1/2 inch) circles with a metal cutter. Place shortcakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush tops with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes; remove to a rack to cool
3. For pears, melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and pear cubes; cook until pears begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup sugar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until apples are soft and caramelized. Whip cream with 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla; refrigerate.
4. For Butterscotch Sauce, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat and stir in cream and vanilla.
5. Split shortcakes and place bottoms on serving plates. Divide pears among shortcakes and drizzle with Butterscotch Sauce; top with whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Drizzle more Butterscotch Sauce on the plate as desired.
