Sweet Pear Chips

I love fruit decorations on cakes, cupcakes, and desserts in general, so, when I saw these pear chips, I fell in love with the idea. I am thrilled to share this sweet and crisp idea with you because I know it will be useful for fall/winter desserts and cakes. To achieve nice chips, use a blemish-free pear that is not quite ripe. A mandolin will be of great help to get perfectly even pear slices.

Versión en español: Chips de Pera

How to Make Pear Chips

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup of water
1 small underripe Bartlett pear
1 lemon, halved

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚F. line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat (such as a silpat); set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar with one cup of water. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low; keep at a simmer as you proceed.

3. Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, slice the pear lengthwise as thinly as possible, making sure that each slice remains intact and is uniformly thick. Do not worry about removing the seeds or the core (they soften during baking). Squeeze lemon halves over pear slices, coating both sides with juice. Place the slices in the simmering syrup and cook for two minutes. Remove the slices with a slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

4. Bake with pear slices until they are dry to the touch, about 2 hours. Using a small offset spatula, loosen the edges of the slices; use your hands to peel the pears from the sheet, then flip them over. Return to the oven; bake, checking frequently, until chips are dehydrated and crisp (but not browned), about 20 minutes. Chips can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature, layered with parchment paper, for up to 2 days.

Makes about: 18.

Note: Be patient and cook at 200˚F for 2 hours like the order of the instructions. I was trying to hurry because I had to decorate some cakes and I increased the temperature to 220˚F in the last 15 minutes and they over browned. The wait is worth it because they make a delicious and elegant decoration. the great news is mine were not damaged, they still were soft and tasted great! I guess if you are looking for a darker tone then it is OK to cook longer.

Recipe to make these Spiced Pear Cupcakes, HERE.