You know those days when you’re craving for something sweet, yet are full of guilt of even thinking about any kind of dessert? Well time to go back to good old fruit desserts before the bikini time is here 😉 . Usually pears are poached in an alcohol that gives them quite distinct flavour from their own one. But no worries here, pear cider nicely complements their natural taste and the spices are balanced perfectly! The recipe comes from Gordon Ramsay’s book “Great British Pub Food”.
Ingredients:
4 ripe pears
700ml pear cider
100g caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
3 star anise
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1. Put all the ingredients into a sauce pan, except for the pears.
2. Bring the syrup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to thicken it slightly (don’t worry about the foaming, the liquid will clear further on).
3. Peel the pears and soak them in the syrup. Take care they are fully immersed in the liquid. Poach pears for 15-20 min till soft but still tender.
4. Take the pears out and return the liquid back to the heat and boil till it is reduced and thickened. Pour it over the pears to coat. Serve with ice-cream or whipped cream.
No onion please 
i’m a great fan of poachd pears esp with cinnamon – star anise – these are nice with a reduction of red wine also ( the wine and sugar from the stock sticks to teh pears) whicked!
Like your blog – interesting your not a fan of onions? as a chef that can be fairly difficult as most things ( other than desserts) tend to have traces of onion.
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Hello David! I love poached pears as well, they absorb the flavors so nicely! Thank you! Well I adore onions myself, but unfortunately my boyfriend hates them and I’m kind of forbidden to cook with them (all kinds of onions and according to him leek is also an onion ;). It is tough sometimes but start to get used to it as I cook for him for over 4 years 😉
Love Poached Pears! Great Recipe! Cheers!!