“Assume Nothing!” A mantra for The Crown as we worked towards opening our doors in March of 2019, the phrase became a Menu section, encouraging our visitors to drop their preconceptions and be open to new and delicious experiences. And now, it’s the title of a recipe series, for you to recreate at home. Here’s to a year of assuming nothing!
Butter Than Pear Trade
A non-traditional fall drink, this is an ode to ripe pears, warming spices, and the touch of decadence that colder months call for.
Ingredients:
- 20g pear butter
- 35g espresso
- 5oz steamed milk
- 1/4tsp ground pistachios
Directions:
To make a “Butter Than Pear Trade” Pear Butter Cappuccino, add 20g of the pear butter to a cappuccino mug and pull the espresso directly onto it. If your pear butter is not very thick, feel free to use more! Thoroughly mix the espresso and pear butter. Steam your milk to a texture slightly less foamy than a standard cappuccino and slightly hotter. Fill the cup about halfway with milk, thoroughly mix the mixture, and then top with the rest of the milk. Because the pear butter is cooler than the espresso and milk, the cappuccino may end up significantly cooler than you might expect, so steaming it a little hotter helps. Top with a garnish of chopped pistachios, and enjoy!
Pear Butter Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 20 lbs pears, seeded and cut into small pieces
- 500g refined cane sugar
- 20 Jamaican Allspice berries
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- Cheese Cloth
- Immersion blender
Directions:
Cut pears into small, regular-sized pieces and toss into a big pot on medium heat. The pears should have enough liquid in them to separate naturally, but if you see them sticking together add 1 cup of filtered water. Add the allspice berries and the cinnamon sticks, tied in a bit of cheese cloth so they’re easy to remove later.
Simmer on medium low heat for about 2 hours, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Leave the lid of the pot slightly off so that the steam can evaporate.
After two hours, remove the spices and use the immersion blender to make a homogenous mixture – no chunks should remain. This can be done directly in the pot but be careful, the liquid will be extremely hot. Add the sugar and use the blender to incorporate it.
Return the pot to the burner and leave on medium low. Stirring is more important now, and will have to be done more frequently so that the pear butter doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Once again, we’re looking to reduce the butter down and let the water evaporate, so leave the pan slightly off so that steam can escape when you’re not stirring.
Taste the butter for seasoning: we’re looking for the slightest hint of cinnamon and a definite note of allspice. I’ve found that adding 10 more allspice berries (wrapped in cheesecloth) can help bring balance to the butter at this stage.
After 2 or so hours, the pear butter should have reduced by half and taken on a much darker color. Left in the fridge, it will last 2-4 weeks. Canned, it can last 6 months or more.
