Holiday Sweets : Caramel Pears for a Slimmer Santa

Here’s a very elegant holiday dessert that is also low in fat: caramel-glazed poached pears in an anise-scented custard sauce.

Small Forelle or Seckel pears are the perfect size for an individual serving. Choose those that are ripe but firm. Drain the cooked pears on paper towels before spooning over the caramel syrup.

The syrup becomes hard when cool, giving a great crunch with the delicate poached pear. Spoon the nonfat anise custard around the pear then sprinkle the ruby red pomegranate seeds over the custard for a final touch of color.

CARAMEL-GLAZED POACHED PEARS WITH ANISE CREME ANGLAISE 4 Forelle or Seckel pears or other small firm ripe pears 1 cup sugar 2 cups water 1 stick cinnamon 2 thin slices lemon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 star anise Caramel Sauce Anise Creme Anglaise Pomegranate seeds

Peel pears leaving stems attached. Combine sugar, water, cinnamon stick, lemon slices, vanilla and star anise in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Add pears. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from heat. Let pears cool in syrup. Drain on paper towels.

Glaze pears with caramel syrup. Serve pear on plate with Anise Creme Anglaise spooned around pear. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on custard and around pear as garnish. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving, without Caramel Sauce or Anise Creme Anglaise, contains about:

291 calories; 1 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 75 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 2.33 grams fiber.

Caramel Sauce 1/2 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine water, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla in medium saucepan. Heat to boiling. Continue heating to hard-crack stage (300 to 310 degrees) on candy thermometer. Makes about 3/4 cup sauce.

Each 1-tablespoon serving contains about:

67 calories; 1 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0 fiber.

Anise Creme Anglaise 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 cup sugar 2 cups nonfat milk 1/4 cup nonfat egg substitute (equivalent to 1 egg) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon anise flavoring

In pan stir together cornstarch and sugar. Blend in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir until thickened and clear, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add little hot sauce to egg substitute. Return all to saucepan. Heat and stir until slightly thickened. Let cool slightly. Stir in vanilla and anise flavoring. Cover and let cool to warm. Makes about 2 cups custard.

Each 1-tablespoon serving contains about:

16 calories; 12 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0 fiber.