Roasted Pear

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place pears cut-side down on a cutting board. Slice the pears at ¼ inch intervals, stopping just before reaching the bottom so that the slices remain connected to each other. TIP: You can use a teaspoon measuring spoon to core the pear.

Coat a baking dish with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and add the pears. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the pear is tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Add peanuts and sesame seeds to a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until the nuts and seeds begin to toast, 1 to 2 minutes. Add just half the maple syrup and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Transfer the candied sesame peanuts to a plate to cool for 10 minutes. Once cool, roughly chop and set aside.

Add tofu, vanilla powder, matcha powder, and the remaining maple syrup to a blender and blend until mixture is creamy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. TIP: Place the matcha cream in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Press the peanut sesame crisp between the slices in the pear. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Divide the matcha cream between bowls and top with baked pears. Sprinkle with remaining peanut sesame crisp.