A simple, refined dessert. Lightly flavoured with spices and thyme honey, they are tender and sweet. Best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, they're a delight!

Level of difficulty : Easy and cheap
Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 1 hour

Serves 4/8 - Ingredients :

• 4 ripe but firm conference pears
• 30 g very soft butter
• 70 g thyme honey or half thyme half acacia honey
• 50 g brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt 120g water
• 1 cinnamon stick 5-6 cm
• zest of half a medium unwaxed lemon
• 1/2 vanilla pod
• 20 g roasted hazelnuts

Directed by :

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 6-7 (200°C).
• Peel the pears, even if untreated, cut them in half lengthways and remove the core with a melon baller.
• In a baking dish large enough to hold all the pear halves, dice the very soft butter and add the honey, brown sugar and salt.
• Mix coarsely, then add the water and mix again to blend.
  Add the cinnamon stick, the zest cut into thin strips (3 or 4), the vanilla pod, incised and scraped out, and the vanilla seeds.
• Arrange the pears curved side up and bake in the oven for 45 minutes (roasted pears) to 1 hour (candied pears), basting the pears every 10 minutes with the cooking sauce (gently turn the pears over 10 minutes before the end of cooking time).
• Turn the oven down to 150°C (5). Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for ten minutes.

Enjoy your meal!