Pear honey

[Guest guest]

Here is a recipe for pear honey that I have made in the past. It is from one of

my cook books called the Fancy Pantry by Helen Witty. It is sweet like honey,

and really good on pancakes, waffles and bread.

 

Pear Honey

 

Yeild: 6-7 cups

Store: For a year or more in a cool pantry

 

A delicate preserve of the type once called " spoon sweets " , which were featured

on elabroate ninetheenth-century dessert tables, this is a delicacy to be made

when the pears are ripe and honey -sweet. Wonderful on waffles, and not to be

overlooked as a topping for a simple pudding or a scoop of vanilla or fuit ice

cream.

 

4 pounds pears of a fragrant variety such as barlett, ripe but not soft.

water, as needed

3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice

breated zest (outer skin only, no white pith) of 1 lemon

6 cups sugar.

 

1) pare, quarter, and core the pears, dropping them into a bowl of cold water as

they are finished.

 

2) combine 6 cups of fresh water with the lemon juice in a preserving pan.

Sherd or grate the pear sections medium-coarse; add the shreds to the acidified

water.

 

3) combine the grated lemon zest witha bout a quart of water in a saucepan and

bring it to a boil; simmer 5 minutes; drain the zest and add it to the pear

mixture.

 

4) Bring pear mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Gradually stir in the

sugar; return the mixture to a boil. Adjust the heat and simmer the mixture,

uncovered, stirring it from time to time , until the shreds of fruit are clear

and the syrup has thickened, about 1 hour; toward the end of cooking, watch the

mixture carefully and stir it often to prevent burning. The pear honey is thick

enough when a small spoonful placed on a chilled saucer thickens to the

consistency of a soft presreve- not a stiff jam-when refrigerated for a few

minutes; to prevent overcooking, set pan off the heat while testing.

 

5) Ladle the hot pear honey inot hot, clean pint or half-pint canning jars,

leaving 1/4 incch of headspace. Seal with new two-piece canning lids according

to manufacturer's directions and process for 15 minutes ( for either size jar)

in a boiling-water bath. Cool, Label, and store the jars.