Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears 🍐🧀✨ Ingredients 4 ripe pears, halved and cored 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 1 tablespoon honey (plus extra for drizzling) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Fresh thyme sprigs (for garnish)

 

Why this dish works

At its heart, this dish is all about contrast and balance:

• The juicy, slightly sweet pear provides a soft base;

• The blue cheese brings a bold, tangy-savory note;

• Toasted nuts supply crunch and nuttiness;

• A drizzle of honey (or balsamic glaze) adds sweetness and shine;

• Fresh herbs or cracked pepper elevate the flavour and aroma.

The result is something that looks and tastes gourmet, yet is surprisingly simple to execute. Recipes describe it as “effortless elegance” and say it’s “the kind of appetizer people will remember”. Tastylo+2Cooking with Casey+2 Many versions emphasise: choosing pears that hold their shape, toasting the nuts, and finishing with honey or glaze. Cooking with Casey+1

Because you’re in Fès, there’s additional appeal: the local produce (good pears, quality honey, local nuts) can make this dish extra special.

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Yield & Timing

• Serves: About 4-6 people as an appetizer or light dessert (assuming 2 halves per person)

• Prep time: ~20-25 minutes (including nuts toasting, pear halving, filling)

• Cook time: ~10-20 minutes (depending on whether you bake, roast or serve fresh)

• Total time: ~30-45 minutes

You can easily scale it up for more guests (double the pears, etc.).

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Ingredients (for ~4 servings)

Pears & Base

• 4 ripe but firm pears (e.g., Bosc or Anjou) — yield 8 halves. Recipes emphasise firm pears so they hold shape during stuffing and optionally baking. Cooking with Casey+1

• Optional: A little lemon juice (≈ 1 Tbsp) to brush cut sides to prevent browning if prepping ahead.

Filling

• ~120–150 g (≈ 4–5 oz) blue cheese, crumbled. Select one you like — if you prefer milder use a softer blue or Gorgonzola. Cooking with Casey+1

• ~30-40 g (≈ ¼ cup) chopped walnuts (or pecans/almonds if preferred) toasted for flavour and crunch. SavorySplash+1

• Optional: ~2 Tbsp honey (≈ 30 ml) mixed into filling for sweetness and binding. Many versions either swirl honey into the filling or drizzle at the end. Tastylo+1

Finish & Garnish

• Honey or hot honey (~1–2 Tbsp) or balsamic glaze to drizzle on top after baking or at serving. Maytag Dairy Farms, LLC+1

• Fresh herbs: thyme or rosemary sprigs or micro-greens for garnish and aroma. Home Cooks World+1

• Optional: A crack of black pepper or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

• Optional: A few extra nuts for topping.

• Optional: Prosciutto or thin cured ham strips for a savoury extension (one variation).

Optional/Regional twist

• Use locally-grown Moroccan honey (flower or argan honey) for distinctive flavour.

• Use Moroccan almonds or chopped roasted local nuts instead of walnuts.

• Use a drizzle of local balsamic-style vinegar, or olive oil + honey combo for a Mediterranean touch.

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Equipment & Pre-Prep

• Sharp chef’s knife and chopping board (for pears and nuts)

• Melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the core of pears

• Baking sheet (if you’ll bake the stuffed pears) or shallow baking dish

• Dry skillet (for toasting nuts)

• Small mixing bowl for filling

• Pastry brush (optional, if you brush pears with oil or lemon juice)

• Serving platter or individual plates

Pre-heat oven if baking (see below). If serving raw/cold, ensure pears are chilled and ready.

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Step-by-Step Method

1. Choose & prepare pears

Select pears that are ripe but still firm — they should yield slightly to pressure but not be overly soft. Bosc or Anjou are good choices. Cooking with Casey+1
Wash and dry the pears. Cut each pear in half lengthwise. Using a melon baller or small spoon, gently remove the core and seeds, creating a small well/hollow in each half for the filling. If desired, brush the cut side with lemon juice to prevent browning.

2. Toast the nuts

Place the chopped walnuts (or selected nuts) into a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for ~3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn. Remove from heat and set aside. Toasting enhances flavour and crunch. SavorySplash+1

3. Prepare the filling

In a mixing bowl, crumble the blue cheese. Add the toasted nuts and, if using, the honey. Mix gently until combined — you want the nuts distributed throughout the cheese. Some recipes also include fresh thyme leaves mixed in at this stage. Tastylo+1

4. Stuff the pears

Place the pear halves on the prepared baking sheet or serving plate (cut side up). Spoon the blue cheese-nut mixture into the hollow of each pear half — use about 1 to 1½ tablespoons per half, pressing gently so the mixture stays in place but don’t overstuff (which may make pears split).

5. Baking or serving temperature

Here you have two main options:

Option A – Serve raw/room temperature
You can serve immediately after stuffing (especially if pears are firm). Drizzle with honey, garnish herbs, serve. This gives crisp texture to the pears and spreads contrast with filling. Some versions serve chilled or at room temp. recipestasteful+1

Option B – Bake / warm version
For a warm, melty variation: Preheat your oven to ~190 °C (≈ 375 °F) (or 180-190°C depending on oven). Arrange the stuffed pears on the baking sheet. You may optionally drizzle a little olive oil or melted butter around the pears for extra richness (some versions do this). Bake for ~10-20 minutes (depending on pear ripeness and oven) until pears are tender (but not collapsing) and blue cheese mixture is warm and slightly melting/bubbling. Example: 20-25 minutes at 190°C. Clap Recipes+1

6. Drizzle & garnish

Once the pears are ready (whether raw or baked), remove from oven (if used). Immediately drizzle each half with honey (or hot honey) or balsamic glaze. Garnish with fresh thyme or herb sprigs, optional black cracked pepper, and an extra sprinkle of toasted nuts if desired. Serve while still warm for the baked version.

7. Serving

Arrange the stuffed pears on a platter; they can stand upright (the flat cut side down) or lie cut-side up. Serve as an elegant appetizer, part of a cheese or grazing board, or even a light dessert. Pair with crusty bread or toasted baguette slices for more texture and to scoop up the filling. They pair beautifully with white wine, sparkling wine or even dessert wine. Tastylo+1

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Tips & Hacks for Perfection

• Firmness is key: Overripe pears will collapse under cooking or get too mushy — choose pears with a little firmness.

• Balance flavours: Blue cheese is quite strong; if you prefer milder, you can mix blue cheese with a softer cheese (cream cheese or goat cheese) to mellow it. Tastylo

• Toasting nuts: Don’t skip – toasted nuts add flavour, aroma and crunch.

• Honey or glaze: Use a good quality honey (wild-flower or local). Or use a balsamic glaze for tang. The drizzle adds shine and sweetness.

• Prepping ahead: You can prepare the pears (halve, core, lemon juice brush) an hour or so ahead and keep in fridge. Add filling just before baking/serving to maintain texture. Some sources say this is fine. parade.com

• Presentation matters: Use fresh thyme sprigs or microgreens for visual elegance. Use walnut halves or chopped nuts as topping.

• Temperature: If baking, monitor so pears soften but retain shape; if too soft, they’ll lose structure.

• Alternative fillings: If blue cheese isn’t your thing, try goat cheese + herbs + walnuts; it will still be elegant with a different flavour. SavorySplash

• Pairings: Serve with crusty bread, simple green salad (arugula with lemon vinaigrette), and a crisp white or sparkling wine.

• Scaling up: For larger gathering, double pears and filling; use a larger baking sheet; maybe serve as “mini” halves for cocktail style.

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Regional Adaptation for Fès / Morocco

Since you’re located in Fès (Fès-Meknès region, Morocco), here are some local-friendly suggestions to make this recipe uniquely yours:

• Use local pears in Moroccan markets — choose firm ripe ones.

• Use Moroccan honey — for example wild-flower, argan or local forest honey — to top the pears; this adds local flavour signature.

• Use Moroccan almonds or walnuts (or roasted peanuts/slivered almonds) if walnuts are harder to source. Toast them locally.

• Instead of blue cheese imported, you might find a good creamy goat or sheep blue/white cheese from Moroccan dairies; the tangy-creamy contrast is still the goal.

• For herbs, use fresh Moroccan thyme or a small sprig of fresh mint for garnish — mint gives a fresh lift.

• Consider drizzling argan oil and honey instead of olive oil for an upscale Moroccan touch (if you want extra richness).

• Serve with warm khobz (Moroccan bread) or small slices of baguette; or present alongside a small salad of local greens and citrus.

• For flavour twist: Add a pinch of Moroccan spice (e.g., a tiny amount of ras el hanout or ground cumin) into the nut-cheese filling for subtle Moroccan note. Just a light touch so it doesn’t dominate.

• For the cooked version: If you have a charcoal grill or outdoor brazier (common in Morocco), you could grill the pear halves cut-side up for a few minutes to get smoky char before stuffing — a dramatic effect.

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Variations & Serving Ideas

• With Prosciutto or Bacon: After stuffing pears, wrap each half with a thin slice of prosciutto or crisp bacon, then bake. The saltiness adds extra depth.

• Dessert Style: Increase the honey drizzle, add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream alongside the pears, and call it dessert.

• Nut-free version: Omit the nuts, or use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for crunch if nut allergy.

• Vegan version: Use plant-based “blue cheese alternative” (vegan cheese) and maple syrup instead of honey. Pears with vegan cheese + nuts still elegant.

• Mini version: Use smaller pears or cut in quarters for a bite-size appetizer — good for cocktail parties.

• Baked vs Raw: Leave pears raw (stuff, drizzle honey, serve chilled) for a crisp version, or bake for warm comfort.

• On a salad: Slice stuffed pears and lay on arugula salad with vinaigrette, for a composed starter.

• Wine pairing: As noted above, pair with a crisp white (Sauvignon Blanc), sparkling wine, or a dessert wine like Sauternes. The sweetness of the pear and honey pairs well with richer wines. Cooking with Casey

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Troubleshooting & Common Mistakes

Problem	Likely cause	Solution
Pears collapse / too mushy after baking	Overripe pears or baking too long	Choose firmer pears, reduce baking time; bake just until tender
Filling overflows or falls out	Overstuffing or hollows too deep	Use moderate amount, press gently; leave margin around edges
Blue cheese flavour too strong / overpowering	Cheese too pungent or too much filling	Mix blue cheese with a milder cheese or reduce quantity
Nuts are bland or burnt	Skipped toasting or left too long	Toast nuts just until fragrant, watch carefully
Texture is uneven (pear raw inside)	Baking temperature too low or pears too large	Pre-heat oven well, ensure even size pears or adjust time
Dish lacks visual appeal	No garnish or finishing drizzle	Use honey/balsamic glaze, fresh herb sprigs, extra nuts for finish

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Full Recipe (Putting It All Together)

Serves: ~4-6 people
Prep Time: ~20 minutes
Cook Time: ~10-20 minutes (if baking)
Total Time: ~30-40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 ripe but firm pears (Bosc or Anjou)

• ~120-150 g (≈4-5 oz) blue cheese, crumbled

• ~30-40 g (≈¼ cup) chopped toasted walnuts (or alternative nuts)

• ~2 Tbsp honey (for filling) (≈30 ml)

• ~1-2 Tbsp honey or balsamic glaze (for drizzling)

• Fresh thyme sprigs or rosemary (for garnish)

• Optional: A crack of black pepper, optional prosciutto or bacon strips

• Optional: Lemon juice (~1 Tbsp) to brush pear halves

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 190 °C (≈375 °F) if you are baking. If serving cold/room temp skip baking or use very short bake.

2. Toast the walnuts: place chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stir ~3-5 minutes until fragrant and golden. Remove and set aside.

3. Prepare pears: Wash, cut each pear in half lengthwise. Use a melon-baller or small spoon to remove cores and seeds, leaving a hollow well. Brush cut sides with lemon juice if using (prevents browning). Place halves cut-side up on a baking sheet (lined with parchment) or serving plate.

4. Prepare filling: In a bowl combine crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts and honey. Mix gently until well distributed.

5. Stuff pears: Spoon a portion of the cheese-nut mixture into each pear well, pressing gently so filling stays.

6. Baking (optional): Drizzle a little olive oil around pears (optional). Bake in oven for ~10-20 minutes until pears just tender and cheese melted/bubbling. (For cold version skip this and move to serving.)

7. Drizzle & garnish: Remove pears from oven or prepare for serving. Immediately drizzle each half with additional honey or balsamic glaze. Sprinkle fresh thyme/rosemary sprigs and optionally cracked pepper or extra nuts.

8. Serve: Arrange on a platter, serve warm (if baked) or room temp. Offer crusty bread or toasted baguette slices, or simply serve as a standalone elegant appetizer or dessert.

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Presentation & Serving Suggestions

• Use a white or neutral platter so the pears and colour-contrast of cheese/nuts pop visually.

• Arrange pears attractively: either in a circle or lined up with thyme sprigs between.

• Add a side of toasted bread slices, or place each half on a small round of bread for easier handling.

• Provide small dessert forks or cheese knives if serving as part of a cheese board.

• For a full meal menu: Serve this as first course, followed by something simple (grilled meat or vegetable main) so the pears aren’t overshadowed.

• Wine pairing: As mentioned, a crisp white, sparkling wine or dessert wine works beautifully.

• For a Moroccan touch: Serve alongside fresh mint tea, or include a small bowl of extra honey on the side.

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Storage & Make Ahead

• You can prepare the pears (halve, core, brush lemon) up to a few hours ahead and keep in fridge covered. Add filling just before baking/serving.

• If baked, leftovers can be covered and stored in fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat gently (in 150°C oven ~5–7 minutes) to soften slightly. Some flavour/texture will change. SavorySplash

• Best served fresh — the crispness of the pear and contrast of textures is ideal when immediate.

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Nutritional & Health Notes

• The dish offers a balance of fruit (pear), dairy (blue cheese) and nuts (walnuts) — so you get fibre, protein, healthy fats and rich flavour.

• Blue cheese and honey both contain higher levels of flavour; portion size is moderate.

• If you’re watching saturated fat/sodium, you could reduce the amount of blue cheese slightly or use a milder cheese.

• If you want a lighter version, use fewer nuts or reduce the honey drizzle.

• Great option for gluten-free (if served without bread or with gluten-free toast) and vegetarian (not vegan unless you swap cheese).

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Final Thoughts

These Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears feel special — they’re sophisticated yet accessible, they look like something from a restaurant but don’t require hours in the kitchen. Whether you serve them at a dinner party, holiday gathering or simply as a treat for yourself, they bring style, flavour and joy.

With the detailed method above, tips, regional tweaks and variations, you’ll be able to make them confidently and even adapt them to your local tastes in Fès. If you like, I can prepare a printable PDF version of this recipe (including metric conversions, a vegetarian/vegan version, and two additional flavour variations) for you. Would you like me to pull that together?