A Study in Dessert: Pear

Elements: Whipped ricotta panna cotta, almond (frangipane) cake, pear pate de fruit, poached pears, pear-white balsamic sorbet, honey foam, fennel

Concept: The flavor of a ripe pear is so delicate and fleeting that I have trouble using it as a frontal flavor in desserts as the slightest tinge of heat seems to dull the floral flavor notes.  (Frankly, it is one of the few fruits that is best appreciated when served plain.) Originally I began with a simple dish of poached pears, whipped ricotta panna cotta and almond cake.

Some aspects of this dessert “didn’t look cool enough” so I challenged myself to see how many ways I could present pear in one dessert. (In retrospect, I realize that this dessert resembles Chef Ghaya Olivera’s “Grapefruit Givre” with its multitude of textures and temperatures. The comparison, although unintentional, is welcome.)

Ingredients/Technique: Sheep’s milk ricotta is used in the panna cotta which, after setting, is whipped to lighten its texture and piped to cover the base of the glass. Cubes of dense, buttery almond (frangipane) cake and diced pate de fruit are layered on top of the whipped panna cotta. These layers sit for at least 6 hours to soften the pate de fruit. Forelle pears are poached in white wine and pear puree that is flavored with lemon, vanilla, and star anise. Once chilled, the poached pears are cubed and arranged around a scoop of  pear sorbet. The pear sorbet is finished with white balsamic vinegar to add an acidic note to an otherwise sweet dessert. Honey foam lends an airy, barely sweet finish.

Flavor Pairings: pear, almond, honey.

Comments: This is a dessert best appreciated when one digs all the way to the bottom of the glass and gets a piece of each layer in one fell swoop of the spooon.