Baked Pears with Sauternes Custard Sauce

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375F.

2. 2

   Peel pears, leaving stems intact, then core from bottom using a melon-ball cutter or a sharp small knife.

3. 3

   Stir together raisins, brown sugar, zests, and 2 tablespoons Sauternes and fill pear cavities with mixture.

4. 4

   Stand pears upright in a buttered baking dish just large enough to hold them and pour remaining cup Sauternes over pears.

5. 5

   Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

6. 6

   Transfer pears to a serving dish or plates using a metal spatula to hold filling in place and pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl.

7. 7

   Whisk together yolks and granulated sugar in a large metal bowl and add hot cooking liquid in a stream, whisking constantly.

8. 8

   Put bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and vigorously whisk, or beat with a handheld electric mixer, until mixture is tripled in volume and registers 160F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Serve pears warm with sauce.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.