Air fryer pears roast whole in their own caramel until deep amber and glossy. Just pears and sugar, and they look like they came from a pastry shop.
- 5 large firm pears Bosc or Anjou - buy large, they shrink as they roast (Note 1)
- ½ cup granulated sugar for sprinkling, or light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon optional, or cardamom or nutmeg
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Make a foil liner. Shape foil into a container with 1-inch sides that fits your air fryer basket or tray, then line it with parchment paper. Keep it just big enough for the pears (Note 2).
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Peel and core. Peel 5 large firm pears with a vegetable peeler and core them from the bottom with a melon baller. Leave the stems on.
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Lay them down and sugar. Lay the pears on their sides in the liner, as many as your air fryer fits. Mix ½ cup granulated sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon, if using, and sprinkle about a third over the side facing up.
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Air fry at 325°F (165°C) for 30 minutes, sprinkling another third of the sugar over the same side at 20 minutes.
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Turn and sugar. At 30 minutes, turn the pears over onto their other side with a soft silicone spatula, like this OXO cookie spatula, and sprinkle the rest of the sugar over the side now facing up. They bruise easily by now.
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Baste every 10 minutes once syrup collects in the liner. Tilt the basket slightly so the caramel pools to one side, without spilling it, and spoon it over the pears. They're done when they're deep amber and a skewer slides in easily. Go by how they look, not the clock (Note 3).
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Loosen the caramel. If it gets dark and thick, add 2 Tbsp water to the liner and spoon it over the pears.
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Finish at 400°F (200°C). Now stand the pears up and air fry for 4 to 5 minutes to color the shoulders. Watch closely, because this is when they can burn.
1. Pears: Firm Bosc or Anjou hold their shape over the long roast. Soft, ripe pears like Bartlett fall apart.
2. Liner: Spread out, the juices evaporate and there is not enough syrup for the caramel. A snug liner keeps it pooled around the pears.
3. Timing: Air fryers vary, so go by how the pears look rather than the clock. Mine took about 1 hour 40 minutes at 325°F (165°C), then 4 to 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
4. Serving: Stand them on cold vanilla chantilly cream or Greek honey yogurt and spoon the caramel over the top.
5. Make-ahead: Roast them a day ahead and chill them in their syrup. Serve cold, or rewarm before dessert.
6. Storage: Keep them in their syrup in the fridge for up to 4 days. Rewarm in the air fryer at 325°F (165°C) for 5 to 8 minutes.