Maple Walnut Baked Pears

Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), with a rack in the center. Rinse the pears under running water, dry them, and trim away any damaged areas. Halve them lengthwise, leaving the skins intact. Use a melon baller to remove the cores and a knife to trim away the tough central fibers. Coarsely chop the walnuts and set them aside.

Arrange the pear halves cut-side up in the baking dish in a snug single layer. If a half rocks, trim a very thin slice from its rounded underside so it sits level.

Place the butter in the microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until melted. Stir in the maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Spoon the mixture evenly over all six pear halves, letting some collect in the cavities.

Pour the measured water into the bottom of the dish, around rather than over the pears, to keep the glaze from scorching. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil carefully, keeping your face and hands away from the escaping steam. Spoon some pan juices over the pears, then divide the chopped walnuts evenly among all six cavities. Spoon a little more pan juice over the walnuts to moisten them.

Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 20–30 minutes, until a knife enters the thickest part of a pear easily and the walnuts are lightly toasted. If the nuts brown before the pears soften, loosely cover the dish with the foil for the remaining baking time.

Let the pears rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the maple pan juices over all six halves and serve warm.