Oatmeal with Roasted Pears, Walnuts, and Toasted Cream

A warm and toasty brunch dish

This Oatmeal with Roasted Pears, Walnuts, and Toasted Cream is so delicious I might start serving it for dessert. Pear halves are coated in butter and brown sugar, then roasted until tender and lightly caramelized. They nestle into a bed of creamy cinnamon and nutmeg spiced oatmeal adorned with an additional sprinkle of brown sugar, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of toasted cream. This sweet and hearty brunch dish is perfect for chilly fall and winter mornings when warm and cozy are the most important goals of the day.

What type of pears are best for roasting?

I prefer to use Bosc pears for this oatmeal recipe because they hold their shape really well when roasted and their light honey flavor pairs deliciously with a sprinkle of brown sugar without feeling cloyingly sweet. Though you can use any type of pear you prefer, if you'd like a pear that will hold its shape when roasting Bosc, Anjou, or Concord are your best bet.

Making toasted cream

I love drizzling a bit of toasted cream over the top of my bowl of Oatmeal with Roasted Pears. If you've never heard of toasted cream, you can think of it like browned butter's creamier sibling. Heavy cream is heated until it reaches the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food a characteristic toasted flavor. To do this I use my pressure cooker, which allows the cream to toast in a completely hands-off way. This recipe for Pressure Cooker Toasted Cream takes about 90-minutes to make if you count the time it takes your machine to pressurize and depressurize, so you'll want to start it a bit earlier than you start roasting pears or prep a batch the day before.

TIPS FOR THE CREAMIEST TASTIEST OATMEAL

It’s not difficult to make a great bowl of oatmeal, but it’s also easy to make a flavorless bowl of oatmeal — and nobody wants that! Here are my two favorite tips to ensure a super creamy and tasty bowl of oatmeal.

USE MILK FOR CREAMINESS

Swapping all or part of the water required with whole milk will help yield creamier more flavorful oats. My preference is to swap anywhere from ½ to ⅔ of the water required for milk, which produces a really creamy oatmeal without becoming overly rich.

DON’T FORGET THE SALT!

Do as Ina Garten does and use salt in your oatmeal. As she says, “without it, it just tastes like wallpaper paste.” I prefer to add a good pinch as the oats are cooking to help balance the flavor of the oats.

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

• A kitchen scale
• Measuring spoons
• A cutting board
• A chef's knife or paring knife
• A baker's half sheet
• Parchment Paper
• A small bowl
• A basting brush
• A medium pot (or large if you are making a big batch of oatmeal)
• A wooden spoon

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Looking for more sweet brunch inspiration?

Love this recipe for Oatmeal with Roasted Pears, Walnuts, and Toasted Cream? Here are some more of my favorite sweet brunch recipes:

• French Hot Chocolate Oatmeal
• Hogwart's Scottish Porridge
• Sourdough Discard Spiced Pear Muffins
• Spiced Pear Crisp
• Buttermilk Dutch Baby
• Classic French Crepes (with a gluten-free option)

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