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Clove and Cardamom Poached Pears

These spiced, poached pears are cooked in honey water, and flavoured with cardamom, cloves, and lemon. They're perfect for an elegant dessert on their own, or served with ice cream or pound cake!

Course Dessert
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 firm pears peeled and cut in half, with cores removed
  • 5 cups water
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1 lemon cut in half
  • 1/2 Tbsp cardamom pods
  • 1/2 Tbsp whole cloves

Instructions

  1. Heat water in a saucepan over medium-high heat; stir in honey to dissolve.
  2. Crush the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle or a heavy glass jar. Add cardamom pods and seeds, cloves, lemon, and pears to the honey water.
  3. When the liquid begins to boil, turn down to medium, cover, and let cook at a low boil for 20 minutes, until the pears are tender (but not mushy!). During cooking, gently stir the pears occasionally so that they will cook evenly.

  4. Remove pears to a separate bowl. Return the poaching liquid to a full boil and let boil for 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.

  5. Pour liquid over pears, let cool slightly, and serve. If you aren’t eating them til later, chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Eat cold, or pour the liquid and pears into a saucepan to reheat gently.

Recipe Notes

If you want to serve pears whole, use 6 cups water instead of 5 so that the liquid will cover the fruit when cooking. Increase cooking time to 35 minutes.