Poached Pears
The following recipe and photography were provided by our partner, Yoko Segawa of Yoko’s Kitchen.
Elegance meets simplicity with these showstopping Poached Pears that require absolutely no baking expertise!
Perhaps you’ve had a poached egg or a piece of poached chicken or fish. Whether you’re poaching a protein or fresh produce, the technique is the same and involves submerging food in liquid and cooking it over low heat for maximum moistness.
In this recipe, the season’s freshest pears are immersed in a poaching liquid featuring local apple cider, white wine, honey, lemon zest, cinnamon, and star anise. As they poach, the pears absorb the warm flavors of the poaching liquid and become incredibly tender, making them easy to eat with a fork or spoon when served.
Paired with a scoop of Heinen’s smooth vanilla ice cream and finished with a drizzle of the reduced poaching liquid, this party-perfect dessert is a refreshing way to treat your taste buds to the flavors of the season.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s perfect for the holiday season. Did you know that pears are in season at the holidays? That’s right! Pears reach peak ripeness between November and January, making them the perfect item to feature in winter desserts.
- It looks elegant, but it is secretly easy. If baking is not your strong suit, fear not! This luxurious dessert requires no baking skills whatsoever. You only need a handful of ingredients and a little patience as the pears simmer in the poaching liquid. If you’re looking to impress guests with a seasonal dessert but don’t want to spend hours trying to bake something from scratch, this is the dessert for you!
- It’s great for entertaining. Making a big batch of these Poached Pears requires very little effort, so make them in bulk for your next holiday gathering.
Poached Pears
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 Bartlett or Bosc pears
- 2 cups local apple cider
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 Tbsp. Heinen’s honey
- 2 strips lemon zest
- 2 Heinen’s cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Heinen’s vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Peel the pears and slice off the bottom to help them stand upright.
- In a pot, combine the apple cider, white wine, honey, lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Bring to a boil.
- Add the pears into the poaching liquid and cover the top of the pot with parchment paper. Simmer, turning the pears occasionally, until they are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Remove the pears from the pot.
- Simmer the poaching liquid until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Discard the lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Let cool.
- Place the pears on dessert plates with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pour the reduced poaching liquid over top and serve.
