Preparation:
Drain commodity diced pears; reserve 2 cups juice. Pat pears dry with paper towels.
Caramel Sauce
Melt butter in heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat.
Add brown sugar and stir continuously until dissolved and bubbling. (Approx. 3-4 minutes)
Slowly whisk in reserved pear juice and cream/evaporated milk.
Add cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Simmer for 5-7 minutes stirring often until sauce coats back of spoon, then remove from heat.
In a hotel pan, toss drained pears with 1/2 cup of warm caramel sauce to coat every piece.
Assembly in each cup:
Add 4 oz. low-fat vanilla yogurt to bottom of cup.
Layer 1/4 cup caramel-coated diced pears.
Add 2 tbsp. granola.
Drizzle 1 tbsp warm caramel sauce.
Cap the parfait cups and refrigerate at 41°F or below until service.
Tips/Notes
Cups can be prepped ahead of time and held for service at 41°F or below
Caramel can be held in a squeeze bottle in a warm water bath at 135°F.
Yogurt can be split into multiple layers for a more striking visual impact.
Using a premade caramel sauce is an acceptable substitution provided it meets nutritional requirements.