RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
January Pick: Desserts

Warm Vanilla Pear Yogurt Bake

Pears roasted soft with butter and vanilla, then baked under a creamy Greek yogurt custard and topped with toasted hazelnuts, served warm.

Why you'll love Warm Vanilla Pear Yogurt Bake

This is a warm dessert for a cold night, somewhere between a custard and a cheesecake. Sliced pears roast in butter with vanilla and a pinch of cardamom until they are soft and their juices turn syrupy, then a custard of thick Greek yogurt, eggs, and a little allulose goes over them and bakes into a tangy, creamy layer that just holds its shape. Hazelnuts toast on top as it bakes.

Roasting the pears first is what makes it work. Raw pears release their juice into the custard and leave it watery, so they get fifteen minutes on their own to soften and give up that moisture, which reduces with the butter into a light syrup. Greek yogurt is already thick, so two eggs and a spoonful of almond flour are enough to set it, and a moderate oven sets the custard gently so it stays smooth.

Serve it warm, when the yogurt is soft and the pears are fragrant. It is just as good cold the next day.

Quick overview: This Warm Vanilla Pear Yogurt Bake takes 15 min of hands-on time and about 1 hr in all and makes 6 servings, each 1 scoop, about 3/4 cup. You'll need a baking dish.

Jump to recipe

Warm vanilla pear yogurt bake with toasted hazelnuts
Prep 15 minCook 45 minTotal 1 hrServes 6Serving 1 scoop, about 3/4 cupYou'll need Baking dish

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 medium firm-ripe pears, such as Bosc or Anjou, skin on, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, divided
  • a pinch of ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp allulose Label: allulose, and nothing else
  • 2 tbsp almond flour
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • a pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Put the butter in an 8-inch square baking dish and set it in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, until melted.
  2. Roast the pears: Add the pear slices to the baking dish with half the vanilla seeds and the scraped pod, the cardamom, and the cinnamon, and toss to coat them in the butter. Spread them in an even layer and roast for 15 minutes, until they are tender and their juices have pooled and begun to thicken. Roasting drives off the water that would otherwise thin the custard.
  3. Whisk the custard: While the pears roast, whisk the yogurt, eggs, allulose, almond flour, the rest of the vanilla seeds, the lemon zest, and the salt in a bowl until smooth. Whisk gently; beating air into it makes the top crack.
  4. Pour and top: Take out the dish and remove the vanilla pod. Pour the custard evenly over the hot pears and scatter the hazelnuts over the top.
  5. Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center jiggles only slightly when you nudge the dish, or reads 160°F (71°C). It finishes setting as it rests.
  6. Rest and serve: Let it rest for 10 minutes, then scoop it warm into bowls, with the pears and their syrup from the bottom of the dish.

Storage and leftovers

Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. It firms in the refrigerator into something closer to a cheesecake.

Eat it cold, or warm a portion in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds or in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes. It does not freeze well; the yogurt turns grainy when thawed.

Variations

  • Apple: Use 3 firm apples, skin on, in place of the pears, and roast them 5 minutes longer.
  • Berry: Skip the roasting and scatter 2 cups of fresh raspberries or blueberries in the buttered dish, then pour the custard over them.
  • Ginger: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger with the cinnamon for a warmer spice.
  • Almond: Use sliced almonds in place of the hazelnuts.

Notes and tips

  • Use firm-ripe pears: Pears that are just ripe hold their shape in the oven. Very soft pears collapse into the custard.
  • Bring the yogurt to room temperature: Take the yogurt and eggs out 30 minutes ahead. A cold custard poured over hot pears sets unevenly.
  • Save the vanilla pod: Tuck the scraped pod into a jar of allulose and in a week it will smell of vanilla.
  • Watch the top: Allulose browns faster than sugar. If the top darkens before the center sets, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the dish.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Whole-milk Greek yogurt makes most of this dessert, so a scoop brings protein and real fat along with the fruit.
  • Pears with the skin on carry fiber, and baking them under yogurt, eggs, and hazelnuts means their natural sugar comes with protein and fat.
  • Vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon smell sweet, which is why a little allulose is enough.
  • Greek yogurt's live cultures make it a fermented food, and hazelnuts add vitamin E and crunch.
  • As you eat, notice the warm, soft pears against the tangy yogurt, and pay attention to how satisfying a lightly sweet dessert can feel, and whether you are content after one scoop.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Warm Vanilla Pear Yogurt Bake? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Will the yogurt curdle in the oven?

The eggs and almond flour bind it, and a moderate oven sets it gently, so it bakes smooth. Overbaking is what makes it weep, so pull it while the center still jiggles slightly.

Can I use regular plain yogurt?

Greek yogurt is thicker and sets better. With plain whole-milk yogurt, strain it in a cheesecloth-lined bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours first.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Bake it up to 2 days ahead and serve it cold or rewarmed.

What can I use in place of a vanilla bean?

A few drops of pure vanilla extract whisked into the custard, though the bean gives the deepest flavor and the little black flecks.

You might also like

Tags: January Pick, Desserts, American