Vanilla poached pears with butterscotch sauce

Serves 4

PnP shopping list: 70ml butter, 1C Demerera sugar, 200ml cream, 15ml vanilla extract, 500ml H2O, 250ml apple juice, cinnamon, vanilla pod, 4 pears, 

For the butterscotch sauce:

60ml (4Tbs) Unsalted butter

1 Cup Selati Demerara sugar

200ml Cream

15ml Vanilla extract

2.5ml Fine Salt

1. In a heavy based saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
2. Just before completely melted add sugar, stir with a wooden spoon until fully coated.
3. Stir every few seconds until liquid is smooth and no longer grainy +- 3 mins.
4. When mixture looks like a liquid lower heat, add the cream, and use a hand whisk to whisk in cream.
5. Return heat to medium and whisk every minute for a total of about 10mins.
6. Switch off heat, and rest for about a minute and then transfer to a bowl to cool.
7. Add the salt and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
8. Once chilled completely it can be stored in the fridge, with a tightly fitted lid.

For the pears:

• 500ml Water
• 250ml Apple juice
• 3cm Piece of whole cinnamon
• Seeds of half a vanilla pod
• 4 pears, peeled
• Melted butter for basting
• 1 Tbs Selati Demerara sugar

How To Make It:

1. Heat water and apple juice in a saucepan until nearly boiling.
2. Just before boiling point, add the cinnamon and vanilla, as the liquid reaches boiling point, lower heat until liquid is barely at a simmer.
3. Add whole peeled pear and allow to poach for 3 mins.
4. Halve pear (whilst trying to retain the stalk)
5. Place on a roasting sheet flat side down, baste with melted butter and coat as evenly as possible with the sugar.
6. Place in pre-heated oven at +-200C or brulée with a blowtorch until sugar melts and caramalises (be careful not to burn).
7. Allow to cool before serving. 

To plate:

1. Carefully slice pear (not all the way to the top of the stalk) fan out onto a flat plate.
2. Drizzle generously with butterscotch sauce
3. Top with whipped cream flavoured with vanilla and serve!