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Poached Pears

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Poached Pears are a refined dessert of whole Bosc pears gently simmered in a spiced syrup, resulting in fruit that’s tender yet holds its shape. Finished with a homemade salted caramel sauce, this simple but impressive treat comes together with minimal hands-on time and is perfect for entertaining or a cozy night in.
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Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 5 pears
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the poached pears
  • 1 1/2 cups water 12 fl oz
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3.5 oz
  • 5 large Bosc pears washed and peeled
  • 1/2 stick cinnamon gently crushed or broken, or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 whole star anise optional
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the salted caramel sauce
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3.5 oz
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 oz
  • 3 TBSP unsalted butter 1.5 oz, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
  • 1 pinch sea salt

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Medium saucepan
  • Peeler
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Peel the Bosc pears and set them aside.
  2. In a large pot, combine the peeled pears, water, sugar, cinnamon stick (or ground cinnamon), star anise if using, and vanilla extract.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it gently simmer for 30–40 minutes, or until the pears are soft and the liquid becomes syrupy.
  4. To prepare the salted caramel sauce, heat the granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it clumps, then melts into a thick amber liquid.
  5. As soon as the sugar has melted, add the butter and stir until smoothly incorporated. Allow the mixture to cook for 1 minute without stirring.
  6. Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring slowly and continuously. Let the caramel bubble for another minute, then remove it from the heat.
  7. Stir in the sea salt until evenly mixed.
  8. Serve the pears warm, either with some of the syrup or drizzled with the freshly made salted caramel sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Notes

For the best results, select Bosc pears that are firm yet ripe, as they’ll keep their shape while absorbing the flavors of the syrup. The pears and caramel sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator; simply reheat gently before serving. Leftover poaching syrup can be used to sweeten drinks or drizzled over breakfast dishes. If star anise isn’t available, it can be left out or substituted with a strip of orange zest. Serve pears warm with caramel sauce, over yogurt, or alongside whipped cream or ice cream.

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