Pear Cream with Crunch

Preparation

Step 1: Poach the pears

Peel the pears, cut them into quarters and remove the cores. Drizzle with lemon juice to prevent browning. In a saucepan, heat 200 ml of milk with 30 g of sugar over medium heat. Add the pear quarters and poach for 8 to 10 minutes at a gentle simmer until tender but still firm. Drain the pears, reserving the poaching milk. Blend the pears with an immersion blender until smooth. Let cool.

Step 2: Make the pastry cream

In a saucepan, bring the remaining 200 ml of milk to a boil with the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 50 g of sugar until pale and ribbon-like. Add the sifted cornstarch and mix well. Pour the hot milk in a stream over the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The cream will thicken in 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the pear purée until smooth.

Step 3: Prepare the crunch

Finely crumble the speculoos cookies into a bowl. Melt the butter over low heat or in the microwave, then pour it over the cookie crumbs. Mix thoroughly with a fork until all crumbs are well coated. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 320°F (160°C) for 8 minutes. Let cool completely — the crunch will harden as it cools.

Step 4: Make the whipped cream

Pour the cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl. Whip to stiff peaks using an electric mixer or whisk. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled pear cream, lifting the mixture with a spatula to keep it airy. This step adds lightness and creaminess to the dessert.

Step 5: Assemble the glasses

Place a spoonful of speculoos crunch at the bottom of each glass. Pipe or spoon the pear cream on top, filling each glass three-quarters full. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (ideally overnight) for the cream to set and the flavors to develop.

Step 6: Decorate and serve

Just before serving, sprinkle some extra crunch on top of each glass for texture contrast. Add a few thin slices of poached pear and a mint leaf for decoration. Serve chilled. This light and fragrant dessert is perfect for ending a spring meal beautifully.