Poached Pear Dessert Food

POACHED PEARS BELLE HELENE

Steps:

• Place water in a heavy pot. Stir in zest and juice of 1 lemon. Place pears in pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and split pods to the poaching liquid. Pour in sugar.
• Bring pot to a simmer over medium-high heat; stir gently to dissolve sugar with minimal jostling of the pears. Reduce heat so pears continue cooking over a steady, gentle simmer. Pears need to stay submerged, so place a small plate over them in the pot to keep them under the liquid. Simmer until pears are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Remove plate to test the pears for doneness.) Remove pot from heat and let pears cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid.
• Transfer pears and vanilla beans to a storage container and cover with some of the poaching liquid. Cover and refrigerate until pears are thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Reserve all of the poaching liquid (see footnote).
• Heat hot fudge sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Dip base of pear into the chocolate and spoon chocolate along the sides except for the top inch or so of the pear.
• Place dipped pears in individual serving bowls with another generous spoonful of syrup and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

POACHED PEARS IN HONEY, GINGER AND CINNAMON SYRUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the wine, Simple Syrup, cinnamon stick halves, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean and seeds to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted. Add the pears and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool.
• Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick halves and the vanilla bean and discard.
• Place each pear on a small serving plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the honey, ginger and cinnamon syrup. Serve immediately.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

POACHED PEARS WITH DESSERT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Strain pears and discard syrup; set pears aside.
• Combine all ingredients, except the pears and raspberry filling, in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the pears. Add enough cold water to cover pears and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Once thickened, remove pears and chill.
• Add raspberry filling to port syrup and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to the consistency of a glaze. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Spoon pears into bowls and top with glaze. Garnish with whipped topping and fresh mint, if desired.

EASY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, cinnamon stick, allspice, ground pepper, apple cider, and water.
• Add pears. Cover with waxed paper to prevent discoloring. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning pears occasionally, until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove pears from liquid; transfer to large bowl.
• Raise heat to high; boil cider mixture until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon. Pour syrup over pears; refrigerate. To serve, slice off a sliver from the bottom of each pear (so it stands upright). Serve pears with lemon sorbet, if desired.

SPANISH POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the pears in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes then remove from the water and place under the cold tap.
• When the pears are cooled enough to handle, remove the peel, then cut in half.
• Using an apple corer, remove the center, and pare the stem away.
• Meanwhile put the sugar, wine, water and cinnamon stick in a pan over a medium heat when it starts to boil.
• Stir in vanilla extract, then add the pears and simmer slowly until the pears become soft.
• When the pears have softened remove them from the liquid and place them in a glass bowl.
• Leave the liquid simmering a bit longer until it reduces then pour over the pears.
• Can be served warm or chilled.

POACHED PEAR DESSERT

Steps:

• Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place pear halves, cut sides up, in microwaveable 2-qt. casserole.
• Mix apple juice, agave syrup and cinnamon until blended; pour over pears. Cover with waxed paper.
• Microwave on HIGH 6 to 8 min. or until pears are tender; cool 5 min.
• Serve topped with pudding mixture, nuts and cranberries.