Fall is the perfect time for comforting, warm and indulgent treats. Poached pears are the perfect addition to your dessert repertoire this season. They’re easy to make, light, and delicious. These poached pears are sure to impress your guests, whether you’re entertaining a large crowd or just looking for something to treat yourself after a long day.
If you’re anything like me, you may have felt intimidated by the beautiful photos of poached pears you see all over social media. But I’m here to tell you that making poached pears is surprisingly easy, and the results are delicious! I was on a mission to create a sourdough upside-down pear cake a few years back and found myself with an abundance of pears that were on their last leg. In an effort to save them, I threw them in a pot with wine and spices, and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Ever since then, poached pears have become my go-to autumn/winter dessert.
Here’s the recipe for my favorite poached pears, along with step-by-step instructions.
Poached Pears
Servings
Ingredients
- 6 pears
- 1 cups red wine (merlot or similar)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 strips orange zest
- 2 whole cloves*
- 1 stick cinnamon*
- ¼ tsp Allspice*
- ¼ tsp cardamom*
Instructions
- Combine the wine, water, honey, orange zest and spices in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact.
- Gently place the pears in the liquid.
- Cover the pot and simmer the pears for 30 minutes. If the liquid doesn’t cover the pears, turn the pears halfway through cooking.
- Remove the pears from the liquid and turn up the heat to cook the liquid until reduced to a syrup consistency.
Notes
- Serve with a spiced cake topped with salty pistachios
- Serve with a scoop of ice cream, garnished with fresh mint leaves
- Serve with yogurt and granola
- Serve plain, garnished with chopped sweet nuts
- Serve whole, cut in half, or fanned out
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