Chai-Poached Pears
Chai-Poached Pears
This dessert is simple to prepare but makes an elegant ending to an autumn meal. The pears are poached in a sweet and boldly spiced black tea and served warm with whipped cream. Recipe courtesy of Danielle Walker.
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
1.5
hours
Servings
6
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 cup water
- 8 black tea bags
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ripe but firm bosc pears
- whipped cream
- 2 tablespoon raw pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
Directions
- Combine the water, tea bags, maple syrup, coconut sugar, cinnamon stick, pumpkin pie spice, star anise and vanilla extract in a larger saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Steep over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, then return the liquid to the pan.
- Peel the pears and core them from the bottom, leaving the top stem intact.
- Place them in the pot and bring the tea back to a low boil.
- Poach the pears over medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the cooking liquid and place them in serving bowls.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Boil for 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to a syrup.
- Spoon the syrup over the pears and into the bottom of the bowls.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted pistachios.