Gourmet Roasted Pears

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

4 firm, ripe pears, halved & cored

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/3 cup heavy cream

4 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Place pear halves, cut side up, in a 9" x 13" baking dish sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until pears are tender, spooning brown sugar mixture over pears halfway through baking. Cool slightly.

In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil on medium heat. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth.

Place 1 pear half on each of 8 dessert plates. Stir brown sugar mixture in baking dish. Spoon over pears. Sprinkle with almonds and cranberries. Drizzle pears generously with white chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.