Pears

Doneness

Done when the pears are fork-tender all the way through, the cut edges are caramelised and golden, and the juices around them have turned syrupy. Ripe pears soften in about 10 minutes; firm or under-ripe ones need a few more. They should yield easily to a fork but still hold their halved shape, not collapse into mush.

Oil & seasoning

No oil needed — a small pat of butter or a drizzle of honey in the cored hollow is plenty. A light brush of melted butter on the cut face helps the edges caramelise.

Season with: Cinnamon-honey (the benchmark): a drizzle of honey in the cored hollow and a dusting of cinnamon., Brown-sugar-butter: a little brown sugar and a pat of butter in the hollow that melt into a quick caramel sauce., Maple-pecan: maple syrup and chopped pecans for a praline-like, crunchy topping., Plain: no sweetener at all — just warmed, softened pear when the fruit is already ripe and sweet..

Watch out for

• !Use ripe but still-firm pears — Bosc and Anjou hold their shape best. Very soft pears turn to mush, and rock-hard ones take much longer.
• !Place the halves cut-side up so the sweetener pools in the cored hollow instead of running off and burning on the basket floor.
• !Firm or under-ripe pears need a few extra minutes — check with a fork and keep cooking rather than turning up the heat.
• !Line the basket or use a small dish if you add a lot of honey or sugar; the drips caramelise and scorch on the bare basket.
• !They keep cooking and softening after they come out, so pull them while they still hold their shape.