Reserve the leftover poaching liquid for pear cocktails or mocktails. (We like ours mixed with club soda and garnished with sliced fresh ginger.)
Spiced Ginger Poached Pears
These festive poached pears are great on their own or served alongside other treats, like the Ginger Basque Cheesecake.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 3- in 8-cm piece ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 3 small firm pears
Instructions
- Cut circle of parchment paper slightly smaller than base of medium pot; set aside.
- In same pot over medium-high heat, combine sugar, cardamom pods, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise and 4 cups water, and boil until sugar dissolves.
- Meanwhile, peel pears, leaving stems intact. Using melon baller or teaspoon, core each pear through bottom.
- Reduce heat so liquid is simmering. Add pears; place parchment paper circle overtop, pressing directly on pears. Place small lid or plate on top to keep pears submerged.
- Return heat to simmer; cook until tender in centre when pierced with knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool in syrup, about 3 hours.
Notes
Tip: Take your poached pears even further by drizzling with eggnog or a cream-cheese glaze, or sift icing sugar overtop and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Tip: Save leftover poached pears in syrup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tip: Save leftover poached pears in syrup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
