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Sweet Cheese Pear Bites

Cut ripe pears in half, scoop tiny hollow in middle. Mix crumbled blue cheese with chopped walnuts and herbs. Stuff cheese mix in pears, drizzle with honey. Bake just till warm and cheese gets melty. Makes fancy party bites in under 30 minutes.

Featured in Finger Foods and Party Snacks.

Fatiha
Updated on Sun, 05 Jan 2025 01:25:02 GMT
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A plate of baked pear halves stuffed with blue cheese and topped with chopped walnuts and fresh thyme. Pin it
A plate of baked pear halves stuffed with blue cheese and topped with chopped walnuts and fresh thyme. | zestplate.com

Try these tasty stuffed pears with blue cheese. They look fancy but are really easy to make. Sweet pears and tangy cheese come together to make something special that everyone will love.

Why Make These

These pears are perfect for parties or nice dinners. The blue cheese gets creamy when warm, and nuts add crunch. You can throw them together quickly, and people always think you spent hours making them. Change up the cheese or nuts to make them just how you like.

What You Need

  • Bosc Pears: Firm ones work best
  • Olive Oil: Just enough to coat
  • Blue Cheese: Danish is good, but any kind works
  • Walnuts: Chopped up
  • Fresh Thyme: For fresh flavor
  • Honey: Makes it sweet
  • Aleppo Pepper: Gives a little kick
  • Salt: The flaky kind for sprinkling

How to Make Them

Heat the Oven:
Turn it to 400°F. You want it hot before the pears go in.
Cut Pears:
Cut them in half the long way. Scoop out the middle where the seeds are.
Get Ready to Cook:
Put pears in a pan cut side up. Drizzle with oil, add a little salt and pepper.
First Cook:
Bake for 15 minutes to get them soft.
Add Cheese:
Take them out, fill with blue cheese, sprinkle nuts and thyme on top.
Cook Again:
Put back in for 8-10 minutes until cheese gets melty.
Make it Special:
Mix honey with pepper in a small bowl.
Finish Up:
Put pears on a plate, drizzle with honey mix, add salt and more thyme if you want.

Why It Works

The salt from the cheese, sweet from the pears, and crunch from the nuts just work together. A little heat from the pepper and sweet honey on top make every bite taste good. It's simple stuff that comes together to make something that tastes fancy.

Picking Good Pears

Bosc pears are best because they stay firm when hot. If you can't find them, try Anjou, Bartlett, or Forelle pears. Just make sure they're ripe but not too soft, or they'll turn mushy in the oven.

Make It Your Way

Don't like strong cheese? Use mild blue cheese or even goat cheese. Switch walnuts for almonds or pecans. Can't eat nuts? Use pumpkin seeds instead. No fresh thyme? Try rosemary. No Aleppo pepper? Regular red pepper flakes work fine. This recipe is hard to mess up.

Using Your Air Fryer

Got an air fryer? Great! Set it to 380°F. Cook pears for 8 minutes first, then add cheese and cook 4-5 minutes more. It's faster than the oven and perfect when cooking for just a few people. Plus, you won't heat up your kitchen.

Halved pears topped with blue cheese, walnuts, and sprigs of thyme, served on a rustic plate. Pin it
Halved pears topped with blue cheese, walnuts, and sprigs of thyme, served on a rustic plate. | zestplate.com

My Favorite Air Fryer

I use the Cosori air fryer. It fits plenty of food and gets things nice and crispy. The screen is easy to use, and it tells you when to flip your food. If you're thinking about getting one, it's worth the money.

Tips for Success

Let pears come to room temperature before cooking. Toast nuts first for better flavor. Don't overload the cheese - a little goes far. Watch them at the end so the cheese doesn't burn. Serve while warm, that's when they taste best.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Got different pears?

Firm ones work best. Not the soft kind. Brown ones hold shape good. Green ones too hard. Ripe but not mushy's what you want. Let hard ones sit few days.

→ Need different spice?

Mix hot pepper and sweet. Chili flakes work fine. Black pepper's good too. Even hot honey works. Start with less - can add more.

→ Want to fix em early?

Cut and fill day before. Keep em cold wrapped tight. Bake just before eating. Save the honey drizzle till hot. Herbs go on last.

→ Can't eat nuts?

Skip em or use seeds. Pumpkin seeds real good. Sunflower seeds too. Some like breadcrumbs. Could use crispy onions.

→ Need different cheese?

Any blue works fine. Strong cheese is best. Soft goat cheese nice too. Mix few kinds if you want. Cream cheese base makes it mild.

→ Taking em somewhere?

Pack stuff separate. Put together there. Take honey in jar. Wrap pears good so no brown. Maybe take extra filling.

→ Want em real pretty?

Cut em neat and even. Save best herbs for top. Make honey drizzle thin. Line em up nice. Use white plate to show em off.

→ Getting too brown?

Less time in oven. Watch em close. Cover with foil maybe. Brush with lemon juice. Don't cut too early.

→ Need em fast?

Buy soft cheese ready. Get nuts chopped. Mix filling early. Heat oven while you prep. Work quick but careful.

→ Making lots?

Double everything easy. Work in batches. Keep stuff cold till needed. Have backup pears. Make extra filling.

→ Too strong or mild?

Mix mild cheese in. More nuts helps too. Add more honey on top. Less herbs if too strong. Taste filling before stuffing.

→ Not holding shape?

Cut bottom flat so they sit. Don't scoop too deep. Pack filling tight. Smaller pears work better. Cold pears cut cleaner.

Conclusion

Love this? Try our walnut cheese salad. Or make tiny pear tarts. Both mix sweet and sharp tastes.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears

Fast fancy pear snacks.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
25 Minutes
Total Time
35 Minutes
By: Fatiha


Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 6 Servings (6 pear halves)

Dietary: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

01 3 large Bosc pears.
02 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil.
03 2 1/2 ounces Danish blue cheese, crumbled.
04 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped.
05 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems.
06 1-2 tablespoons honey.
07 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper.
08 Flaky salt, for garnish.

Instructions

Step 01

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it is hot and ready for baking.

Step 02

Carefully slice each pear in half lengthwise and scoop out the core and seeds to create little cavities. Arrange them cut side up in a cast iron skillet or a baking dish.

Step 03

Drizzle the pear halves with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper for added flavor. Flip them over to rest cut side down in the skillet.

Step 04

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, allowing the pears to soften and their flavors to intensify.

Step 05

Remove the pears from the oven and gently turn them over, cut side up. Generously stuff each pear with crumbled blue cheese, chopped walnuts, and fresh thyme.

Step 06

Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is just beginning to melt and meld with the nuts and thyme.

Step 07

In a small bowl, combine honey and Aleppo pepper, stirring until well mixed for a spicy-sweet glaze.

Step 08

Once the pears are golden and aromatic, transfer them to a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle each pear with the spicy honey and sprinkle with flaky salt and extra thyme, if desired. Enjoy your creation!.

Notes

  1. These blue cheese stuffed pears can be served warm or at room temperature, making them convenient for gatherings.
  2. Feel free to adjust the amount of honey and Aleppo pepper to suit your taste—more honey for sweetness, more pepper for heat.

Tools You'll Need

  • Oven.
  • Cast iron skillet or baking dish.
  • Small bowl.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Dairy.
  • Nuts.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: ~
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~