Recipes

Fresh Pear Desserts

Posted: 1/7/2012

Lovely to look at and luscious to eat, poached pears are surprisingly simple to make.

(NAPSI)—Fresh seasonal fruit can be quickly and easily transformed into luscious desserts. And since pears are in season nearly year-round, their naturally sweet flavor and juicy texture can’t help but inspire dazzling desserts.

Try pears in buttery turnovers, spiced crisps, tarts and even creamy cheesecakes. Or simply bake, roast, sauté or grill them and serve with ice cream, vanilla yogurt or whipped topping.

Pair Them With Plenty

Pears complement a variety of other foods, including fruits such as cranberries and strawberries, toasted nuts such as almonds and walnuts, and warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.

A versatile fruit, pears are just as delicious eaten fresh out of hand as they are cooked. Simple poached pears make a particularly appealing dessert for any meal.

Pears are often described as “jewel-like” in both their shape and rich color when poached in red wine or juice. They’re impressive when served but simple to make, as this recipe shows:

Classic Poached Pears
Serves 6

1¼ cups packed brown sugar

2½ cups dry red wine or nonalcoholic cider

1½ cups water

3 whole cloves

1 stick cinnamon

6 ripe USA Pears, such as Anjou, Bosc or Concorde, peeled and cored

Dissolve sugar into wine and water. Add cloves and cinnamon stick. Pears may be poached whole or cut in half and poached. Add pears to wine mixture and heat until just simmering. Lower heat and poach gently for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand in poaching liquid overnight. Gently remove them from the poaching liquid and drain briefly on paper towels. Serve with crème anglaise, whipped cream or a reduction of the poaching liquid. To reduce poaching liquid, boil until liquid is reduced by 2/3 or becomes a light syrup.

Poached pears can also be combined with other desserts, such as in a yogurt parfait or alongside cake or gingerbread. The poaching liquid can also be flavored with vanilla beans, spices, fresh ginger, wine or just about anything else you like.

Learn More

For pear recipes and more, visit www.usapears.org and follow USA Pears on Facebook and Twitter.