Sometimes the simplest things, are the best! Pears are a beautiful fruit to enjoy in the winter while they’re ripe and delicious. While traditionally this dish, poached pears, is made with a lot of sugar, this is a healthier alternative that doesn’t compromise on flavor. A few tablespoons of honey, plus the sweetness from the added citrus fruits concentrated down, makes a really amazing tasty syrup.
This dessert looks really impressive on a plate, but is so simple and easy to do. Don’t forget to cut the bottoms off the pears when you’re preparing a plate, so they can stand up on their own.
If you’re wondering why pears should be part of your diet, they contain high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. That means all sorts of good things like better digestion, guarding against age-related diseases, and having anti-inflammatory effects. Go on and enjoy your dessert!
Poached Pears
1 – 1.5 hours
Ingredients
- 1 liter of water
- 3 pears from the Fruitful Day Box
- 2 crushed cardamom pods
- 2 table spoons of honey
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 12 cloves
- 1 thinly sliced orange from the Fruitful Day Box
- 2 tea spoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 table spoon of apple cider vinegar
- Ice cream/full cream to serve (optional)
METHOD
- Peel the pears but leave the stems attached.
- Cut out a baking paper circle the same diameter as your saucepan – you can do this by placing the saucepan down on the baking paper and drawing around the base of the saucepan with a pencil.
- Place all ingredients in the saucepan and place the baking paper on top. It should float on the surface of the water – this keeps the pears fully submerged while they are poaching.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to simmer for 1 hour. After 1 hour check the softness of the pears. If they need more time continue cooking, however, be careful not to overcook or they will be mushy. The amount of time they need depends on the size and ripeness of the pear.
- Once the pears are soft, pour the liquid through a strainer into a bowl. Set the pears aside, discard the spices and place the liquid back in the saucepan.
- Now on high heat, boil the poaching liquid until it is reduced to around 2 table spoons. At this point it will be viscous and syrupy.
- Place the pears in a bowl and pour the syrup over. Add ice cream or cream as the combination of the hot pears and cold ice cream is great!