Apple Cider Poached Pears With Vanilla
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 firm pears (Bosc or Anjou work best)
- 4 cups high-quality apple cider
- 1 whole vanilla bean (split and scraped) or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 star anise (optional)
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the apple cider, vanilla bean seeds and pod, cinnamon stick, honey, and star anise. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the honey dissolves completely.
- While the liquid heats, peel the pears carefully using a vegetable peeler. Try to keep the stems intact for a beautiful presentation. Slice a small amount off the bottom of each pear so they can stand upright. Rub them with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Gently place the pears into the simmering cider. If the liquid doesn’t fully cover them, you can add a splash of water or more cider. Cover the pot with a circle of parchment paper (a cartouche) to keep the pears submerged. Simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the pears and set them aside on a plate. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil the remaining cider liquid for 10 to 15 minutes. Continue boiling until the liquid reduces by half and becomes a slightly thickened, syrupy glaze.
- Once the syrup is ready, remove the whole spices and vanilla pod. Place the pears back into the syrup briefly to coat them or simply pour the warm syrup over the pears before serving.