Pear and Bay Leaf Butter

Ingredients

• 10 Pears (About 10; peel, core, and roughly chop. The source says this yields 450 g blended pear pulp.)
• Bay leaf (Used while simmering the pears; quantity not stated.)
• 0.5 lemon Lemon juice (Juice of half a lemon; described as a squish.)
• Water (A splash, just enough to keep the fruit from scorching; top up if needed as it cooks.)
• 450 g Pear pulp (Blended smooth; the source gives this as the yield from the cooked pears.)
• 320 g Caster sugar

Steps

1. 1

   Peel, core, and roughly chop about 10 pears. Put them in a pan with the bay leaf, the juice of half a lemon, and a splash of water—just enough to keep the fruit from scorching. Add more water as needed while the fruit cooks.

2. 2

   Simmer the pears until tender. Drain off and discard the excess liquid, then blend the cooked fruit until smooth.

3. 3

   Measure out 450 g of pear pulp and add 320 g caster sugar. Transfer the pulp and sugar to a pan.

4. 4

   Simmer over moderate heat, stirring continuously to prevent sticking and splattering. Cook for around 10–12 minutes, until the mixture thickens, the bubbles become larger and slower, and the butter looks glossy.

5. 5

   Pour the fruit butter into clean, hot, sterilised jars. Let it cool, then refrigerate; it will firm up completely once cold.

Notes

Makes about 2 jars. This is a fresh fruit butter rather than a shelf-stable jam; the author says it keeps well refrigerated for up to a month. For a longer-lasting preserve, the author notes that more sugar and cooking to 105°C would be needed. The written description does not specify the quantity of bay leaf or water.

Nutrition per serving

• preserve
• breakfast
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• stovetop
• make-ahead