Are you looking for a delicious, easy, do ahead dessert for the holidays – or any day) Look no further than the recipe below. It fill the bill on all counts. Amaretto Roasted Pears with Almond Crunch should be your go to winter (or any season) dessert. I gild the lily with a scoop of mascarpone, and it is decadently delicious but unnecessary.

Amaretto Roasted Pears with Almond Crunch

Serves 6

Amaretto Roasted Pears with Almond Crunch can be served cut side up, peeled side up, and one or two pears on a plate. This dessert is light but decadently delicious.

Almond Crunch

• 1 large egg white
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, with skins

Amaretto Roasted Pears

• 3 firm Bosc pears, unpeeled, halved, cored
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Amaretto or another almond-flavored liqueur

• 1/2 cup water
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto

Accompaniment

• Mascarpone Cheese (for gilding the lily – optional)
• Amaretto Caramel Sauce (optional if you want to gild the lily even more – recipe below)

For almond crunch:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Whisk together egg white, sugar, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved, then add almonds, stirring until coated. Spread the mixture in a very thin layer on a parchment-lined sheet, spreading almonds away from the center of the pan.

Bake until deep golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on a baking sheet on a rack, then break it into pieces.

For pears:

Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Halve pears lengthwise and core with a melon-ball cutter or a paring knife. Spread 1 tablespoon butter on the bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.

Arrange pears, cut sides up, on sugar, then dot pears with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the pears, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of Amaretto. Roast pears, uncovered, until barely tender, about 25 minutes. (Sugar will harden on the bottom of the pan.)

Add water, salt, and 2 tablespoons Amaretto to the baking dish and stir (around pears) until sugar is dissolved, then baste pears with pan juices.

Roast pears, basting twice with pan juices, until tender, about 15 minutes more.

Place a pear half on dessert or dinner plate and serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and topped with almond crunch. For total decadence add a scoop of mascarpone and/or Amaretto Caramel Sauce.

Amaretto Caramel Sauce:

Serves 12

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/3 cup cream
• 3 tablespoons Amaretto (Disaronno)
• pinch of salt

Combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Add the cream, amaretto and salt. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for five minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and allow to cool at least 10 minutes.

Other Desserts appropriate for the Holidays:

Charlotte’s Decadent Cream Puffs

Grand Marnier Sabayon Mousse with Fresh Raspberries and Mint

Craveable Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread with Crème Anglaise