This recipe for spiced pear kanten is a cross between pudding and Jell-O, and is exceptional when made with fresh pear cider from the farmer’s market. Cinnamon stick, ginger and cloves give it a warming, but subtle scent of spice
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3½ cups fresh pear cider or organic pear juice
- 3 tablespoons agar agar flakes
- 3 tablespoons brown rice syrup or agave nectar
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in 3-4 pieces
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 coin sized slices of fresh ginger root
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and chopped in ½-inch pieces
Preparation:
Mix 3 cups cider, agar flakes, rice syrup, spices, ginger root and salt in a heavy bottomed, non-reactive (stainless steel or enamel) saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure that the agar is completely dissolved.
Dissolve arrowroot in the remaining ½ cup of cold cider. (The arrowroot will not dissolve in warm liquid). Remove cinnamon stick, cloves, and ginger from the kanten. Add the dissolved arrowroot to the kanten, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Raise heat to medium and bring the mixture back to a boil, and cook about 1 minute, stirring continually. The kanten will become glossy and thicken to the consistency of gravy. Add the chopped pear and cook for two minutes.
Remove heat and pour into individual serving dishes. Let the kanten set for 1 hour before eating. Refrigerate the kanten if it is not being eaten within a few hours. It will keep nicely for 3-4 days.
Serves 4-6
Copyright 2009 by Jen Hoy
