Aromatic and elegant, poached pears with saffron broth is a classic French dessert that combines the delicate sweetness of pears with the rich flavors of saffron and spices. This recipe guide offers three variations to tantalize your taste buds:
- **Classic Poached Pears:** This traditional recipe features pears gently simmered in a fragrant broth of white wine, sugar, vanilla, and spices, resulting in a tender and flavorful dessert.
- **Red Wine Poached Pears:** For a more robust and fruity flavor, try poaching pears in a red wine broth. The red wine adds a beautiful color and depth of flavor to the pears, making them perfect for a special occasion.
- **Spiced Poached Pears:** Take your dessert to the next level with this variation that incorporates a blend of aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise. The result is a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving for more.
Each recipe includes detailed instructions and helpful tips to ensure perfect results. Whether you prefer the classic elegance of the traditional method or the bold flavors of the red wine or spiced variations, you'll find the perfect recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth. So gather your ingredients, put on your apron, and embark on a culinary journey that will leave your taste buds dancing.
SAFFRON POACHED PEARS
Steps:
- Place the saffron, sugar and salt in a small mortar and pestle. Grind them together into a powder. Add ¼ cup of freshly boiled hot water to the ground saffron-sugar mix and let it steep for about 15 minutes.
- If you don't have a mortar and pestle, place the saffron, sugar and salt in a bowl and rub the mix with the tips of your fingers to crush the saffron threads against the sugar and salt granules. Add ¼ cup of freshly boiled hot water to the ground saffron-sugar mix and let it steep for about 15 minutes.
- Place the saffron water and all the ingredients (except pears) in a saucepan. Make sure the saucepan is large enough for the pears to fit snugly in there, with just enough wiggle room for the pears to submerge in the poaching liquid at an angle as well.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer while stirring to make sure the honey is dissolved.
- When the liquid comes to a simmer, peel the pears and then lower them into the poaching liquid.
- Let the pears poach in the liquid on medium-low heat (simmering) for 20 - 25 minutes, but rotate the pears every 5 minutes to ensure they poach evenly on all sides, including the tops of the pears.
- When the pears have been poached, keep them upright in the poaching liquid, and remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the pears to cool down in the poaching liquid.
- I prefer to serve poached pears chilled, but they can be served at room temperature as well.
- Before serving, remove the pears from the poaching liquid and leave them on a plate, covered with plastic wrap.
- Strain the poaching liquid to remove the orange peel and cardamom. Return the syrup to the saucepan and heat it and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until the liquid thickens slightly into a syrup. The cooking time depends on how much liquid is left, so keep an eye on it. If the syrup is too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
- Serve the pears on a serving plate, and brush them a little with the syrup to make the pears look shiny (optional).
- Pour a little syrup over individual pears, and serve with some whipped mascarpone cheese or whipped cream, flavored with some orange extract (optional) and pistachios (optional).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 238 kcal, Carbohydrate 63 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 7 mg, Fiber 6 g, Sugar 50 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SAFFRON POACHED PEARS
Saffron Poached Pears, a simple and seasonal fall and winter baked fruit dessert with saffron, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and brown sugar. This delicious and easy recipe proves saffron isn't just for savory foods!
Categories Desserts + Sweets
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat the spices, water, and vinegar: Combine water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, saffron, and cinnamon stick in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Poach the pears: Add bosc pear halves to the pot and reduce liquid to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until pears are cooked and soft throughout. Remove pears and set aside on a serving dish.
- Reduce the sauce: Turn heat to high and reduce liquid until it forms a thick or syrupy consistency. Remove pot from heat, drizzle liquid over pears, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving (1 pear), Calories 67 kcal, Carbohydrate 17 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 17 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 16 g, Fat 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 2 g
POACHED SAFFRON PEARS
Try infusing pears with the taste of saffron to make a unique and tasty pudding
Provided by Roopa Gulati
Categories Dessert, Dinner
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Soak the saffron in warm water and leave for an hour. Dissolve the caster sugar in the water and ginger wine in a medium pan. Turn up the heat and boil for 3-4 minutes before adding the star anise and orange peel. Turn the heat to low and add the pears, peeled with stalks left on. Press scrunched greaseproof paper lightly over the pears. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally turning.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Strain the syrup into a jug and stir in the soaked saffron and liquid. Pour over the pears. Cover and chill for 24 hours, turning once.
- Place each pear on a separate plate, drizzle over a little syrup. Serve with dollops of mascarpone.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 199 calories, Fat 1 grams fat, Carbohydrate 36 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 26 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 1 grams protein, Sodium 0.03 milligram of sodium
POACHED PEARS WITH SAFFRON WHIPPED CREAM
An easy and elegant fall dessert, pears are poached in dry white wine and a delicious bouquet of vanilla, orange, cinnamon, and a pinch of saffron. Serve it simply, with a dollop of lightly sweetened saffron whipped cream on the side.
Provided by Shira Bocar
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Time 3h15m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Poached Pears: Core pears from bottoms, using a small melon baller or measuring spoon to scoop out seeds. Cut a round of parchment to fit inside a medium saucepan.
- Place pears in pan along with wine, sugar, orange juice and zest, cinnamon, saffron, and enough water to mostly cover pears (about 3 cups). Add vanilla seeds, then pod. Cover with prepared parchment round.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, turning pears occasionally to keep them covered with liquid, until tender (easily pierced with the tip of a knife) but not falling apart, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on ripeness and size. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a large bowl; cover with parchment round from pan.
- Remove and discard vanilla pod and cinnamon. Bring poaching liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to a thin syrup, 25 to 30 minutes (you should have 1 to 1 1/2 cups). Pour syrup over pears and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- Saffron Whipped Cream: In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup cream and saffron over medium until just barely bubbling around edges. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl; add remaining 3/4 cup cream. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Add sugar and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Serve pears whole or halved in shallow bowls, with syrup and saffron whipped cream.
SAFFRON POACHED PEARS
Steps:
- Combine wine, sugar, saffron and vanilla in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, with a stainless steel knife, trim bottom of pears so they stand upright. Peel them, leaving an inch of the peel at the stem end. With the help of an apple corer or melon baller, cut out core and seeds, working from the bottom end.
- Add pears to poaching liquid and poach them, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until barely soft. Remove pan from heat and either let pears cool in poaching liquid and serve liquid as is or, cool pears in liquid for an hour only. Remove from syrup, then reduce syrup until thickened and concentrated; cool.
- Option: When cool, stuff cavity with fresh raspberries, stand pears upright in a bowl, drizzle syrup around pears and float raspberries and mint leaves over syrup.
POACHED PEARS WITH SAFFRON BROTH
Steps:
- To make the broth, stir the pear nectar, agave nectar, lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, and saffron together in a large saucepan or 3-quart sauté pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then place the pear halves in the saucepan, flat side down. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pears and cover with a small plate to weight the pears down as they simmer. Lower the heat and simmer until the pears are tender and a knife pierces them all the way through without resistance.
- Remove the pears from the saucepan. Return the liquid to the heat, bring to a lively simmer, and cook until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Taste the liquid for a quick FASS check. It may need a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the flavors.
- Serve the pears drizzled with the poaching liquid and topped with a dollop of nut cream if you like.
- variation
- For vanilla broth, omit the lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, and saffron, and instead stir 2 teaspoons of agave nectar into the pear nectar. Cut a vanilla pod in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the saucepan, then throw in the pod. Proceed with the recipe as above.
- For star anise broth, omit the lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, and saffron, and instead stir in 4 pods of star anise, 4 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 teaspoons of agave nectar, and 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Proceed with the recipe as above.
- rebecca's notes
- To seed and stem a pear beautifully, once it's cut in half, use a melon baller to scoop out the center, making sure to remove all of the seeds. Then use a sharp paring knife to make a small angled slice on each side of the core, running out from the center of the pear to the stem. This will remove a clean and even triangle-shaped piece where the stem and the core had been.
- You can garnish the pears with the solids from the broth. Lemon peel, vanilla pods, star anise pods, and cloves all make beautiful garnishes.
- storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- nutrition information
- (per serving)
- Calories: 225
- Total Fat: 0.2g (0g saturated, 0 g monounsaturated)
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Protein: 1g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sodium: 15mg
PASTRY NESTS WITH POACHED PEARS AND FETA AND SAFFRON CREAM
These pastry nests may look rather composed and restaurant-like, but don't be put off. It's just a case of making the various elements separately; a day in advance, if you like, in the case of the pears (which benefit from being soaked overnight in the syrup) and the kataifi pastry bases (which can be baked one day ahead; let them cool, then keep them in a sealed container at room temperature). That leaves just the cream to whip, the syrup to reduce and the assembly to do before serving. The joy of calling something a nest is that it does not need to look perfectly neat and intact. A stray strand of pastry here and there is absolutely fine. Kataifi pastry can be found in the freezer section at Middle Eastern supermarkets.
Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi
Categories pastries, dessert
Time 1h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Poach the pears: Place sugar, spices, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small saucepan. Add 3 cups/700 milliliters water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once sugar has dissolved, add the pears, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the ripeness of the pears), until they are soft all the way through. Set aside until slightly cool, then lift the pears out of the syrup and quarter them lengthwise. Remove the core and stalks and discard; return pears to the syrup to infuse overnight, or if that isn't possible, for at least 3 hours. (The longer they infuse in the syrup the more color they will take on from the saffron.)
- Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the nests: Place the kataifi pastry in a medium bowl and gently separate the strands. Pour the melted butter over and mix together well, using your hands to make sure all the strands are coated. Separate the pastry into 8 equal portions and then form each into nests that are a scant 3 inches/7 centimeters wide, piling the pastry up on the sides so the edges are taller than the base. Arrange nests about 1 inch/2.5 centimeters apart on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and crisp, rotating the sheet halfway through. Set aside to cool.
- Make the feta and saffron cream: Place mascarpone, feta, sugar, saffron and its water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until combined and smooth, then add heavy cream. Continue to whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, until light and thick. Transfer cream into a piping bag (if you have one) and set aside.
- Remove the pears from the syrup and reserve. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan and add honey. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and you have about 1/2 cup syrup left. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and set aside to cool.
- When ready to serve, cut each pear quarter into 3 longish segments. Place 2 pieces of pear in the middle of each nest and then pipe (or spoon) about 1/4 cup cream on top. Place 1 slice of pear on top of the cream, so that it sticks up, and sprinkle each portion with a teaspoon of slivered pistachios. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of syrup over each of the nests and serve. Reserve remaining syrup for another purpose, such as drizzling over yogurt.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 403, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 165 milligrams, Sugar 26 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Choose ripe but firm pears for poaching, as they will hold their shape better.
- Use a variety of red wine for poaching the pears, such as a fruity Beaujolais or a robust Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Add a few spices to the poaching liquid, such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, or cloves, for extra flavor.
- Poach the pears until they are tender but still hold their shape, about 15-20 minutes.
- Serve the poached pears warm or chilled, with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche.
Conclusion:
Poached pears are a classic dessert that is both elegant and delicious. They can be served on their own or with a variety of accompaniments, such as ice cream, whipped cream, or crème fraîche. This recipe for poached pears with saffron broth is a unique and flavorful twist on the classic dish. The saffron broth adds a beautiful golden color and a delicate floral flavor to the pears. This dessert is sure to impress your guests, and it is also a great way to use up any leftover pears.
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