Spiced caramelized pears {in panela or piloncillo syrup}
Spiced caramelized pears in panela or piloncillo brown sugar syrup, these sweet pear preserves are made with ripe pears, panela or piloncillo (a type of unprocessed brown sugar), ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
Course Dessert, Sweets
Cuisine Ecuadorian inspired, Fusion, Latin, Pacific Northwest, South American
Keyword Caramelized pears, Dulce de pera, Panela, Pears, Piloncillo, Spiced
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Ingredients
4pearscored and cut in quarters (or halves)
16ounces1lb of panela or piloncillo, in a block or grated (if it’s sold grated as “raspadura”)
1cupwater
1tablespoonfreshly grated ginger
2cinnamon sticks
4cloves
Additional spices/aromatic flavors based your preferenceorange peel, vanilla, cardomon, etc
Instructions
In a large pan, combine the water, panela or piloncillo (whole or grated), cinnamon sticks, ginger and cloves. Cook over low heat until the panela or piloncillo has completely dissolved.
Add the quartered/halves pears and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook over medium to medium high heat for 25 minutes, it should be on a medium boil the whole time. The secret to keep the pears from turning to mush is to avoid stirring them, if needed just gently move them around to rearrange them.
Remove from the heat and let the pears cool down.
Can be served warm as a topping for ice cream, crepes, pancakes, waffles, or as a simple dessert on its own with a slice of queso fresco.