Honey and Spice Poached Pears
Honey and spice poached pears look fancy & taste luxurious, but they are incredible simply to make! This impressive dish comes together in under an hour. And it refrigerates well, so you can prepare it ahead of time.
Ingredients
Honey and Spice Poached Pears
- 4 ripe Bosc pears
- 4 cups water
- ⅔ cup honey
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 whole star anise (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 1 whole cinnamon stick) (or 1 whole cinnamon stick)
- 4 green cardamom pods
Extra Optional Toppings
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped roasted nuts
- honey for drizzling
Instructions
- Peel the pears. Keep the stems on them and slice a small bit off the bottom so they can stand up straight. Set aside.
- Pour the water into a pot that's big enough for all four pears to lay on their sides and not overlap. To the water, add the honey, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom pods. Bring the water to about 160°F. The water should be steaming but not bubbling.
- Place the pears into the water on their sides and let them poach for 15 minutes. The water will only reach about halfway up the pears. Gently flip each pear over and poach the other side for another 15 minutes. When the bottom of the pears are easily pierced with a knife, they are done. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool while standing upright on a plate.
- Bring the liquid that remains in the pot to a simmer until it's reduced to half its volume. Now you have a deliciously spiced syrup to pour onto your poached pears or other sweets.
- To serve, spread a dollop of Greek yogurt onto four individual plates, or spread all the Greek yogurt onto one large serving dish. Place the poached pears standing upright in the Greek yogurt. Then sprinkle the chopped nuts and drizzle the syrup on top.Enjoy!!
Notes
- Use ripe, firm pears since they're sweeter and they'll soften but still hold their shape as they cook.
- Gently handle the pears after they're poached, since they'll be soft and easy to puncture. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them out of the pot and onto a plate to cool.
- Don't let the water bubble or boil. Poaching is a soft method of cooking in water that is just steaming. This allows the pears to maintain their shape.
- You can substitute the honey for maple syrup or granulated sugar to make this recipe vegan.
- Store leftover cooled poached pears in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pearCalories: 37kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 5gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 30mgPotassium: 95mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 0.3mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!