Rosemary Roasted Hasselback Asian Pears

Name: Rosemary Roasted Hasselback Korean Pear Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, (divided); 1 cup water; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh grapefruit juice; 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, (finely chopped); 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 Korean pears

November 5, 2019 By valentina 30 Comments

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Rosemary Roasted Hasselback Asian Pears is a jaw-dropping, over-the-top delicious dessert. It’s brilliant for the holidays or any dinner party. Asian pear recipes are a beautiful treat during the fall and winter months.

Idaho potatoes have inspired many recipes for me, but this is the first one that doesn’t include potatoes.

Have you ever had a Hasselback Potato?

Korean Pears, also called Asian Pears or Apple Pears, lend themselves to this pretty technique.

Who knew a potato would inspire one of my Asian pear recipes!?

What does Hasselback mean?

Hasselback refers to a classic preparation of a potato, not the variety.
Developed in the 18th century in Stockholm, Sweden, they were first made at a restaurant called Hasselbacken, which is how they were named.

(Here’s an example of a beautiful Hasselback Potato and how to make them.)

Enough about potatoes! What I really want to talk about are gorgeous, juicy and crisp Korean pears.

What are Korean Pears?

Often referred to as Asian Pears or Apple Pears, they’re grown with extreme care. The result is a very clean, blemish-free fruit.
Unlike Western pears, Korean Pears are round and large in size.
The skin of the pear is light, brownish-yellow and the flesh is white.

What do they taste like?

Korean Pears are crisp, crunchy, juicy and sweet. They have a subtle honey flavor.

When are Asian pears in season?

Korean pears are in season from approximately October through March.

Since they are firm, these delicious pears lend themselves perfectly to the Hasselback preparation.

And all the flavors that are absorbed into the pears are absolutely divine. Anytime you add sweetness to rosemary, you get something very special.

Wouldn’t they be lovely for a holiday dessert? They do take some time, but I think it’s well worth the effort.

You should make them and see if you agree. (I think you will. ;-))

Can you use other pear varieties in Asian Pear recipes?

Yes you can. Of course I’m highlighting the Korean pear, but if you can’t get your hands on one, a great alternative is a Bosc Pear.

Really, as long as the pear variety is more on the firm side, it should work well.

Enjoy!

To learn more about Korean pears, you can read my post, Introducing Korean Pears.

More Asian Pear recipes for you:

This is not a sponsored post. Melissa’s Produce sent me Korean Pears for recipe testing, and as always, all opinions are my own.

Korean pear with thin cuts throughout, on a purple plate

Rosemary Roasted Hasselback Korean Pear Recipe

Valentina K. Wein

This jaw-dropping, over-the-top delicious dessert, is one of the best Korean pear recipes ever! It's lovely for the holidays or a dinner party!

5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 50 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 266 kcal

Ingredients

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh grapefruit juice
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 Korean pears

Instructions

Set the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F, adjust a rack to just above the center of the oven, and use 1 teaspoon of the butter to grease an approximately 8 x 8 x 3-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Make the rosemary syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, grapefruit juice, rosemary and vanilla. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Stir to ensure all of the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
Prepare the pears. Peel the pears and then cut them in half, lengthwise. Use a melon baller to remove the seeds from each half, and then a paring knife to cut out any remaining stem.
With a very sharp paring knife, cut as many slits as you can, and as thinly as you can, horizontally, into the round side of the pear halves. Do not cut all the way through the pear! Your knife should stop about about 1-inch from the bottom.
Place the prepared pear halves, flat side down, in the greased baking dish.
Add the syrup to the pears. Then pour the rosemary syrup over them. (Do not wash the saucepan - you'll need it later.) The pears should be well coated. Use the tip of a knife to open each slit slightly to be sure the syrup goes inside. The syrup will only go about ¼ to ½ way up the sides of the pears.
Bake and baste. Place the pears in the preheated 400°F oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Use a small ladle or a soup spoon, to baste the pears, again getting the syrup into the slits. (The slits will become more open as they roast, and it will therefore become easier to do this.) Continue to set the timer and baste every 15 minutes, until you've reached 1½ hours. Then add about ¼ teaspoon of the remaining teaspoon of butter, to the top of each pear. Place them back in the oven for a few more minutes. If they are not golden on top, place them under the broiler for about 30 seconds. (Watch them carefully under the broiler!)
Remove pears from oven. Gently remove the pears with a flat-bottomed spatula, and place them on a plate. Set aside.
Thicken remaining syrup. Pour all of the syrup from the baking dish back into the saucepan, and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and simmer until it's reduced by about half, and has thickened. Now strain the syrup into a small bowl or serving pitcher.
Serve. Serve the pears warm, drizzled with a bit of the syrup.

Notes

Calorie count is only an estimate.

Keywords fresh fruit desserts, fall desserts with pears, fancy dessert recipes

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