Blue Skies

[The Brown Butter Remix]

A warm Bosc pear, halved and caramelized in brown butter until it goes soft and golden, with vanilla cream poured over tableside. Named for the ghost track on Autumn House: Timeless — the one that only plays if you know to wait for it.

Ingredients

4 Bosc pears, halved and cored
6 tbsp (85g) butter (grass-fed preferred)
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream (grass-fed preferred)
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish

Steps

Whip:

Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brown the Butter:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally as it foams, then turns golden, then amber, with a nutty aroma — about 3-4 minutes. Watch closely in the final minute; it goes from browned to burnt fast.

Caramelize:

Place the pear halves cut-side down in the brown butter. Cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes, until the cut side is deeply golden. Flip and cook the rounded side for another 4-5 minutes, until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife.

Plate:

Place two pear halves cut-side up in each bowl and spoon the brown butter from the pan over the top.

Serve:

Bring the pears and the vanilla cream to the table separately, and pour the cream over each serving in front of your guests. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a sprig of fresh thyme.

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Make it Good For The Gut

Pears carry soluble fiber that supports digestion and feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and most of it sits right in the skin — leaving it on here isn’t just easier, it’s the better call nutritionally. A pinch of ground cinnamon added while the pears caramelize brings anti-inflammatory compounds without competing with the brown butter.

Remix Options

Dairy-Free Version: Swap the butter for coconut oil (it won’t brown the same way, but still caramelizes beautifully) and use full-fat coconut cream whipped in place of the heavy cream. Maple Finish: Drizzle 1 tbsp (15ml) pure maple syrup into the pan during the last minute of caramelizing for a deeper amber glaze. Spiced Pears: Add a cinnamon stick and 2 whole cloves to the butter while it browns, then remove before plating. Nut Crumble: Top with 2 tbsp (15g) toasted chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch against the soft pear. Apple Swap: No Bosc pears on hand? Firm baking apples like Honeycrisp work with the same technique and timing.

Good To Know

Pear Selection: Choose Bosc pears that give slightly to gentle pressure near the stem — too firm and they won’t caramelize through in the pan time, too soft and they’ll fall apart. Browning Butter: Use a light-colored pan so you can watch the color change; the butter should smell nutty, not bitter or burnt, when you pull it off the heat. Make-Ahead: Whip the cream up to 4 hours ahead and keep refrigerated; the pears are best cooked just before serving so they stay warm and tender. Storage: Leftover cooked pears keep refrigerated for up to 2 days — reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to avoid breaking them apart. Whipped cream is best used within a day. Troubleshooting: If the pears release too much liquid and the pan turns watery, raise the heat slightly and cook a bit longer to let it reduce back into a glaze before plating.