Oatmeal topped with sweet honey spiced pears is creamy and decadent and a far cry from the watery, thin gruel of Ebenezer Scrooge’s old life!
At the Beginning of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is miserly and cold-hearted. This is reflected in his meager and inexpensive breakfast of thin watery gruel. Scrooge would have consumed this lacklustre porridge made with oats and water in a utilitarian bowl without any embellishments while contemplating his expenditures.
"...he took off his cravat; put on his dressing-gown and slippers, and his nightcap; and sat down before the fire to take his gruel."
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Of course, Scrooge soon undergoes an incredible transformation after being visited by the 3 spirits of Christmas. In honour of Scrooge’s enlightenment and redemption, we have transformed the unappetizing and austere gruel into the ultimate festive winter oatmeal recipe. Oatmeal with honey spiced pears is the perfect joyous and indulgent breakfast for the enlightened Scrooge to savour each morning with his newfound compassion, happiness, and appreciation for the spirit of Christmas.
Ingredients
Oatmeal: I like using quick oats in this recipe which cook down into a smoother, creamier oatmeal than large flake oats.
Milk: Cooking the oats in milk rather than water creates an incredibly luxurious oatmeal. However, you can certainly substitute with the non-dairy milk of your choice, or use water instead.
Pears: Sweet pears, slow roasted with honey and spices, add a fruity tang to this rich and creamy oatmeal. I used Bosc pears but you could use any type of pear you prefer.
Spices: Use a blend of whole cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks.
Oranges: Bright and refreshing orange juice and zest add tang to the mild pears for a delicious contrast of flavours.
How to make Oatmeal with Honey Spiced Pears
Make the honey spiced pears
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the pears, cut in half, and remove the cores. Transfer the pears to a baking dish and arrange cut side up. To get the pears to lay flat, you can cut a slice off the rounded edge if desired.
In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey, orange juice, water, brown sugar, whole spices, orange rind, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, whisking until combined.
Pour the honey spice mixture over the pear halves. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for twenty minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until the pears are very tender and the liquid has reduced and is syrupy. Remove the peels and whole spices.
Prepare the oatmeal
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Place over medium heat and stir in the oats. Bring the milk to a simmer and cook until the oats are thick and creamy. Continue stirring while the oats cook to prevent it catching on the bottom of the pot.
Serve the Oatmeal with Honey Spiced Pears
Divide the oatmeal into serving bowls. Arrange two pear halves on each bowl. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts and serve cream for pouring. Enjoy!
