How to Poach Pears

When frost starts to form on the pumpkin, it means only one thing: Royal Riviera Pears start shipping. What did you think I was going to say?

Every fall, folks patiently wait for their beautiful box of beautiful pears, dreaming of all the different ways they're going to enjoy them. Eating them out of hand while juices drip down their chin. Baking them in a gorgeous cake. Even slicing them up and infusing them into a potent potable.

If you have any pears remaining the day after you open the box (not eating all the pears in one day takes a lot of discipline) and are looking for another way to use this buttery fruit, try poaching them. Hey, it only takes about 30 minutes to cook (and another 30 to prep. So, one hour. We all have one hour to make this delicious dessert). Just follow these simple steps to get started (and continue scrolling for an actual recipe):

• Always use firm yet slightly ripe pears. If the pears are too ripe, they will become mushy.

• Leave the stem on; peel the pears, then core them from the bottom with a melon baller to make a beautiful presentation.

• Simmer them over medium heat in a solution that’s one part sugar to two parts liquid. Try substituting a portion of the water with red wine (try merlot), white wine (try Riesling), or brewed tea; chai tea also works great to give this recipe a cozy flavor.

• Pick your flavors: You can add lemon peel, cinnamon (ground or whole sticks), cardamom pods, fresh ginger, whole cloves, star anise pods, vanilla bean. It can be anything in your spice cabinet, but try not to overwhelm the pear’s natural, delicate flavors. Remember that the pears will soften and absorb the sweetness of the liquid and will get sweeter the longer they sit in said liquid.

• After simmering, remove the pears and reduce the liquid so that it thickens into a syrup for drizzling over the pears. Pro tip: Save any leftover poaching liquid for future poaching endeavors.

• Serve your poached pears topped with liqueur, ice cream, whipped cream, or dip them in chocolate. You can also pair them with yogurt and granola for breakfast. Other ways to enjoy poached pears are slicing them and adding them to salads or using them in other desserts, such as a pear tart.

You can poach the pears up to two days in advance and they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Poached Pears

PREP TIME: 30 minutesCOOK TIME: 30 minutesTOTAL TIME: 1 hour

SERVINGS

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Ingredients

• 5 Harry & David® Royal Riviera® Pears (firm yet slightly ripe)
• 6 cups cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise pod
• tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 vanilla bean, scraped)
• 2 strips lemon peel (without the pith, plus half a lemon)

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Instructions

1
Combine the cold water and granulated sugar in a medium pot (roughly 3-quart capacity). Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2
Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise pod, vanilla bean paste, and lemon peel (or other flavors of your choice).
3
Peel the pears, leaving the stem on, and gently rub each pear with the lemon half to prevent the pears from oxidizing. Using a melon baller or small paring knife, core the pears from the bottom end; this will allow you to keep the pear in whole form for presentation.
4
Using a large spoon, gently lower the cored, whole pears into the poaching liquid. The poaching liquid should almost completely cover the pears.
5
Return the poaching liquid to a low simmer, cover the surface of the pot with a parchment round, and simmer the pears, occasionally flipping them during the cooking process, for about 12-15 minutes or until tender. Remember that you will be cooling the pears in the liquid, so do not overcook. You can test whether the pears are done by piercing the pear (through the bottom end) with a paring knife. The pears should be tender but not mushy.
6
Cool the pears to room temperature in the poaching liquid. Serve or transfer the pears to a large container and refrigerate for up to a week.

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Notes

The poaching liquid can be kept, discarded, or used to store the poached pears. Try reusing the liquid for poaching other pears or as a simple syrup in cocktails, etc.