Baked pears are filled with creamy, tangy Chevrot French goat cheese, topped with sweet honey, sprigs of fresh rosemary and pecans for an easy snack or elegant appetizer.
This goat cheese, Le Chevrot from Poitou-Charentes, has a distinct, wrinkled rind with a soft, lemony and earthy center for a sweet and clean tasty finish. The originally Chèvre (French for goat) has been passed down from French goat milk farmers for generations. There are 6,000 producers of goat milk around France, of which 3,000 produce their own goat cheese with 60 dairies that produce goat cheese.
Deriving from the beautiful Loire Valley where the climate, geography and geology form the goats diets provide flavor profiles unique to the regions of Centre-Val de Loire, Burgundy, Rhone-Alps, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Occitanie, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Pays de la Loire. 
To pair with this delicious and strong flavored Le Chevrot goat cheese, a sweet fruit is a must and since pear season will soon be upon us, pear was the natural choice. Perfect as a light snack or elegant enough to serve when entertaining, the addition of sweet honey and the nuttiness of toasted pecans along with the piney flavor of fresh rosemary, round out the flavors of this dish that all complement each other perfectly.
Instead of using the pears raw, I roasted them for a few minutes to soften and bring out their natural sweetness. This is why I used Anjou pears which are the firm variety and can stand up to baking. This entire recipe takes around 10 minutes from start to finish.
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Baked Honey and Chevrot Goat Cheese Pears
- Total Time: 12
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Anjou pears baked and filled with creamy Le Chevrot goat cheese, drizzled with honey, and finished with toasted pecans and fresh rosemary.
Ingredients
- 3 Anjou pears, halved and cored
- 4 oz (115 g) Le Chevrot goat cheese (or other soft, tangy goat cheese), crumbled
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup (30 g) pecans, roughly chopped
- 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Halve the Anjou pears lengthwise and use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out the core, creating a well in each half.
- Arrange the pear halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 5-7 minutes, until just beginning to soften and their natural sweetness starts to come through.
- While the pears roast, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat.
- Remove the pears from the oven and fill each well generously with crumbled Le Chevrot goat cheese.
- Drizzle honey evenly over the filled pears, then scatter the toasted pecans on top. Tuck a small sprig of fresh rosemary into each pear half.
- Serve immediately as an appetizer or light snack, while the cheese is still warm and creamy.
Notes
- Anjou pears are the right choice here — their firm flesh holds up to baking without turning mushy. Avoid ripe Bartletts, which will collapse.
- Le Chevrot, from Poitou-Charentes in France’s Loire Valley, has a wrinkled rind and a soft, lemony-earthy center. Any soft, tangy fresh goat cheese will work as a substitute, though the flavor will differ.
- Toast the pecans before adding — the dry-skillet step takes two minutes and makes a real difference in flavor and crunch.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 7
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pear half
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of pears work best for this recipe?
Anjou pears are recommended because they are firm and can withstand baking, allowing them to soften and enhance their natural sweetness.
Can I use a different type of goat cheese instead of Chevrot?
While Chevrot’s unique flavor profile complements the other ingredients well, you can substitute with another soft, tangy goat cheese if necessary, but the taste may vary.
How do I prepare the pecans for this recipe?
Toast the pecans before adding them to the baked pears to enhance their nuttiness and add a crunchy texture.
Made, devoured and loved!
Made 10/19. Sooo good will be making again keeper
Yum…..Yum….Yum. I wish I was this creative.
Love this! Avoided the pieces with the core. Also sprinkled a bit of salt on it at the end.
This is a great recipe: healthy but decadent!!
Hello. Are we to assume the core of the pear is left intact? Or do we use the slices that avoid the core?
I halve mine lengthwise and scoop out the core with a melon baller before baking. Clean well for the goat cheese and no seeds to pick around.
Wonderful recipe. Thank you very much.
Served this as a fruit course to guests at my bed and breakfast this morning…..they loved it! I served several slices, so that the serving was large enough, and also so I could hide the hole in the center of the slices where I scooped out the seeds. How do you handle the hole in the middle, particularly when you are serving one as an appetiser. Thanks so much.