Prep Time:  15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 12

Crisp and sweet bosc pears are a delicious dessert or snack, especially when they are stuffed with a nutty chocolate filling.  Raw cacao powder

is an excellent source of fiber, protein and iron & it just tastes so good.  Make these in advance and serve them warm or at room temperature.  Pair these with some whipped coconut cream, yoghurt or your favorite dairy or non-dairy frozen custard.

Ingredients

  • 6 each     Bosc pears
  • 12 each   Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 cup       Walnuts or pecans
  • 2 Tablespoons   maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup     Raw cacao powder
  • pinch       natural salt
  • 1 tablespoon  lemon juice
  • 1 cup       Apple cider or organic apple juice
  • Cinnamon
  • Method
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Wash pears, slice in 1/2 lengthwise and scoop out small section where pits are with a spoon or melon baller.  Trim off a small section on rounded bottom of pears so they sit upright without tipping over.
  3. Place pears in an oven proof roasting dish or 2 if you don’t have room for all of them in one pan.
  4. Set up food processor with S shaped blade.  Process nuts for a few minutes until coarsely ground.  Add dates, maple syrup, cacao, pinch of salt and lemon juice to food processor.  Pulse until mixture forms a smooth paste.  Mixture should be sticky and hold together.
  5. Divide mixture evenly between 12 pear 1/2’s and mound into scooped out section of the pear.
  6. Pour apple cider over pears and sprinkle tops with ground cinnamon.
  7. Cover top of pears with foil wrap and bake for 35-45 minutes until pears are tender but not falling apart.  Remove foil wrap and bake for a few more minutes to brown top if desired.
  8. Serve pear half warm with a little of juices from pan and your choice of additional accompaniments.