Cinnamon-baked pear chips

I just adore this recipe for baked pears, enhanced with a sprinkle of sweet, musky cinnamon, and baked until crisp. Try them with a sharp, salty cheese such as blue vein, or a gentler, creamy cheese like double cream Brie or Camembert.

These crunchy little chips are, of course, a satisfyingly delicious snack all by themselves. Great for filling lunch­boxes, too.

4 slightly under-ripe pears

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 100°C, and line two trays with baking paper.

Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the pears lengthwise into thin pieces. If doing by hand, try and get the slices as uniform in thickness as you possibly can.

Whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon to make a spiced syrup.

Paint each pear slice with the syrup, and then arrange the slices on the baking trays, in a single layer.

Bake for an hour, or until the edges begin to ruffle. Turn the slices over and continue to bake until crisp, about another half an hour. If the chips are still a little soft, leave them in a turned off oven for a further 30 minutes or so to finish crisping up. Be sure to keep a close eye on them, as they can burn easily.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.