Sauces

Pear Sauce

Overripe pears simmered down with soft brown sugar, vanilla and a squeeze of lemon, then blitzed smooth. The pear version of apple sauce, and a good use for pears that have gone past eating.

Makes 1 small jar · 4 ingredients · 4 steps

Ingredients

• 400g pears (overripe)
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Prepare the pears. Top, tail and dice the pears.
2. Fill the pan. Put the pears in a saucepan with the soft brown sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice.
3. Simmer it down. Simmer, stirring now and then, until the pears have collapsed and it has cooked down to a thick sauce.
4. Blitz it smooth. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Good to know

• No water needed: overripe pears give off enough juice of their own.
• The skins can stay on — the blender takes care of them. Cores and pips are better out, so quarter and core the pears first, or push the finished sauce through a sieve if it feels gritty.
• Keep simmering, stirring often, until it is dark and glossy and a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a trail, and it becomes pear butter.
• Good with pork, on porridge or yoghurt, or on toast.