Advertisement ::

Enlarge Cartoon

Michelin-star Vertig’O's pastry chef: Emmanuel Lebled

The Vertig’O restaurant in the Hôtel de la Paix in Geneva has a Michelin star and a 16/20 in the respected GaultMillau restaurant guide.

Vertig’O also has a great pastry chef in Emmanuel Lebled.

Every month or so, the restaurant publishes a leaflet which includes a recipe from the restaurant. This recipe for cinnamon pear crumble is adapted from their October 2009 leaflet, but it is still seasonal as we anxiously await the fruits of spring.

I’m sorry not to have converted the quantities this time around, but it became extremely complicated, so I dropped the whole idea. I think it’s high time we all bought a set of metric scales! If all else fails, refer to my post about metric conversions. For equivalents of the weight of specific foods such as butter, almonds, and different kinds of flour, you can also consult Recipes4Us.

The recipe is in three parts. Start by making the crumble topping. Poach and then caramelize the pears. Finish off by arranging all the ingredients in a baking dish and baking. Timing is important, since the crumble is best served warm.

Recipe: Cinnamon pear crumble

1. Make the crumble

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Mix all the above ingredients together. Knead with hands until it forms a crumble.

2. Poach the pears

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Mix water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and boil slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it forms a syrup.

Add star anise, orange peel and lemon peel to syrup.

Peel pears. Remove core and any hard parts. Over low heat, poach them slowly in the syrup.

When soft (but not falling apart), remove them from heat. Leave pears in the syrup until the they cool off.

3. Sautée and caramelize the pears

Ingredients:

Pour enough pear liqueur over raisins to cover them. Leave to soak.

Remove poached pears from syrup. Dice.

Put sugar in saucepan. Heat over low heat until it forms a caramel, stirring constantly and being careful that it doesn’t burn. Add butter and pears.

Turn heat higher, and caramelize, stirring constantly and making sure pears do not burn.

Add raisins and rum. Flambé.

Remove from heat. Cool at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 150° C.

When pears are cool, put them in a baking dish. Cover with crumble.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt sorbet.

Both comments and pings are currently closed.