Name: Spiced Up Poached Pears With Caramel Sauce recipe by Tikuli Dogra at BetterButter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Small size firm plump ripe Pears - 6; Ginger peeled and thinly sliced - 3/4 inch; Lemon - 1/2; Spice mix – 4 cloves, 4 peppercorn, 2 all spice, 1 star anise (broken in half) , 1 cinnamon stick broken in half ( you can choose your own); Honey – 2 table spoon; Pure Vanilla – 1 teaspoon or one split vanilla bean; Brown or White Sugar – 1/2 cup Sugar ( you can use sugar according to the sweetness of fruit and use part white and part brown sugar or entirely use brown sugar too. Don’t use honey if using brown sugar); Water – Just enough to cover the pears. (About four cups should do); To make the caramel sauce -; Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup; Water = 1/2 cup; A pinch of salt (Kosher would do); Ice Cream or Gelato to serve with

ABOUT Spiced Up Poached Pears With Caramel Sauce RECIPE

Poached fruits are great quick desserts and a good way to convert ho-hum fruits into something fantastically delicious.I think the elegance and sensuousness of perfectly poached warm pears with chilled vanilla ice cream or hot caramel sauce is unbeatable. I love the basic sugar and water poaching for everyday dessert because it retains the taste and delicate flavor of the fruit and isn’t loaded with heavy aromas of spices or other ingredients but for special occasions or if I am in a little indulgent mood I add spices, wine, caramel sauce etc according to the mood of the day. Enjoy!

Ingredients Serving: 6

Small size firm plump ripe Pears - 6
Ginger peeled and thinly sliced - 3/4 inch
Lemon - 1/2
Spice mix – 4 cloves, 4 peppercorn, 2 all spice, 1 star anise (broken in half) , 1 cinnamon stick broken in half ( you can choose your own)
Honey – 2 table spoon
Pure Vanilla – 1 teaspoon or one split vanilla bean
Brown or White Sugar – 1/2 cup Sugar ( you can use sugar according to the sweetness of fruit and use part white and part brown sugar or entirely use brown sugar too. Don’t use honey if using brown sugar)
Water – Just enough to cover the pears. (About four cups should do)
To make the caramel sauce -
Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water = 1/2 cup
A pinch of salt (Kosher would do)
Ice Cream or Gelato to serve with

Instructions

Wash and peel ripe pears. You can keep them whole or cut them in half from stem side down. Keep the stems so you can pick them easily.
Scoop out the middle part with a melon scooper. ( if you are using whole pear scoop out the center from the bottom and cut it flat so it can stand on the plate.
Take a sauce pan large enough to hold the pears and add water, sugar, add the spice mix, honey, ginger, vanilla bean as it warms and bring it to one boil. Squeeze lemon juice into it and remove the froth that comes up while boiling.
Add pears and cover the lid. Let it simmer on low heat now till the fruit becomes tender enough for the fork to pierce easily.
If using pure vanilla essence , add it now.
Check for tenderness of the fruit and plate those which are done.
Remove and plate the poached pears in individual bowls/ plates or in a big serving bowl.
Continue to stir the liquid till it thickens or reduces by half. 15-20 minutes
Once done, remove the vanilla bean and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Caramel Sauce -
In a medium sauce pan add water and sugar and melt the sugar on low- medium heat. Curb the urge to stir as it will cause crystallization and lumps.
Shake the pan back and forth and gently swirl it around to get the syrup evenly caramelized.
Once the sugar is completely melted and turns to amber color , add butter. It will bubble rapidly so be careful.
Swirl the pan around to get the beautiful dark amber caramel sauce. Be careful not to burn it.
You can make it with heavy cream too. Omit water if using cream.
Take out the poached fruit on a plate or in a bowl pour some warm syrup over them along with the spices. Serve with chocolate sponge cake or vanilla ice cream drizzled with generous amount of the luscious caramel syrup.

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