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Pears poached in orange juice spiced with ground ginger, nutmeg and vanilla make a light, fruity dessert for a fall meal.
Pears are a wonderfully versatile fall fruit that lend themselves nicely to a variety of accompanying sauces. The citrus and spice flavors of this light dessert make it a great finish for a heavy meal. Pair with a light-bodied, semi-sweet dessert wine like Moscato.
Orange-Spiced Poached Pears
Pears poached in orange juice spiced with ground ginger, nutmeg and vanilla make a light, fruity dessert for a fall meal.
Ingredients
- 4 slightly under ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, halved and cored
- 1-1/2 cups orange juice
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Combine orange juice, water, brown sugar and honey in a large sauce pan. Stir well to mix and bring to a simmer. Add the vanilla extract, nutmeg, ginger and lemon juice.
- Add the pears and simmer for about 30 minutes, turning frequently to be sure they cook through evenly. Remove them from the pan and cover to keep warm.
- Let the remaining liquid cook until it thickens into a syrup. Cut pears into lengthwise slices and arrange on individual dessert plates. Drizzle with the syrup and garnish with mint leaves.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Absolutely DELICIOUS!
Thank you for a delightful “light” dessert!
Hi Roberta,
Glad you liked the poached pears. I agree – it’s nice to have something light like that with all the eating we do during the holidays. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy New Year!
Fab recipe, so easy to make & so tasty. For personal preference I left out the honey & only used half the sugar & left the pears whole & it was still lovely & sweet. Perfect to make ahead when you have guests coming over for supper. 10/10
Hi Liz,
So glad you enjoyed the pears – they are easy and make such a nice dessert alternative to cake or pie.
You’ll love them ~ they have such a velvety texture.
Poached pears are amazing! I had some at a French restaurant once, and they were poached in red wine. Would love to branch out and try these too!