Poached pears are a wonderful holiday dessert that look impressive but require minimal prep. In this recipe a simple poaching liquid uses ingredients you may already have in your pantry, including a rosemary-infused sugar syrup. You prepare the dessert several days in advance to help make holiday entertaining a breeze.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 limes
- 1 1/2 cups Rosemary Simple Syrup, recipe follows
- 1 cup cranberry-apple juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- Kosher salt
- 4 firm Bosc pears, peeled, halved and cored
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 7 to 10 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Peel the zest from the limes with a vegetable peeler. Place the zest in a medium saucepan and squeeze in the lime juice. Add the rosemary simple syrup, cranberry-apple juice, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean and a pinch of salt. Add the pears and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook at a low heat until the pears are tender but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the pears from the liquid with a slotted spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency, 15 to 20 minutes more. Strain and discard the solids.
- You can serve the pears and syrup warm, room temperature or chilled. To serve, place 1 or 2 pear halves into each serving bowl, top with the reduced liquid and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
- Combine the sugar, rosemary and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer the syrup to a squeeze bottle or airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Strain out the rosemary before using. Makes 2 cups.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 277 |
| Total Fat | 3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 54 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 12 mg |
| Sodium | 399 mg |