Toasting The Season: 5 Perfect Fall Recipes

Maple - a favorite fall flavor of many. For a maple sweetened toast beyond that of the French persuasion, try this toasty treat topped with pears, fig jam, and balsamic drizzle. WHAT YOU'LL NEED Maple Pears 2 tablespoons lightly packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 pinches of kosher (coarse) salt 2 semi-firm Bartlett (Williams) pears, halved, cored, and each half sliced lengthwise into sixths Toast ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted 4 tablespoons fig jam Four ¾-inch thick slices fruit-and-nut bread Unsalted butter, softened, for the bread Small wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese INSTRUCTIONS 1. Make the maple pears: Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Add the pear slices and gently toss to coat. Place the pears on the baking sheet and roast until the pears are tender and starting to brown around the edges, 18–20 minutes. Remove from the oven, gently turn the pears over, and set aside to cool. 3. Make the toast: In a small saucepan, simmer the vinegar over medium heat until it has reduced by about half and is thick and syrupy, 3–5 minutes. (It will continue to thicken as it cools; if it gets too thick to drizzle, heat for a few seconds in the microwave.) In a small bowl, stir the sesame seeds into the fig jam. 4. Toast the bread. 5. Using a vegetable peeler, shave ribbons from the wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Spread some fig jam over each piece of toast, then layer a few pear slices over the jam (you may have leftover pears if your bread slices are small). Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and serve topped with the shaved cheese.