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Poached pears in saffron and calvados; with vanilla cashew cream

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Elegant and classy; Poached pears make a beautiful autumn dessert to serve your family and friends during the holidays. And with Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, they are a welcoming alternative to the usually heavier pies and cakes.

It all starts with a flavorful poaching liquid and aromatics to slowly cook the pears in. I used fresh orange juice and honey as natural sweeteners and spiked it with a generous amount of calvados… a wonderfully aged apple brandy. Simmering away in exotic spices of saffron, cardamom, and rosebuds, I couldn’t help but put a Persian twist to this classically French dish.

With an abundant variety of pears, it’s important to use the right type for this dessert. I’ve found that the Bosc or D’Anjou kind hold their shape quite well when poaching, as they have a nice firm texture. Just make sure to use pears that are on the firmer side so they don’t get too soft during cooking.

Serve these beauties with honey-nut granola, and top with a generous dollop of vanilla cashew cream for a dairy-free indulgence. They will surely impress your guests at the dinner table.

Note: To make this dessert non-alcoholic, just replace the alcohol with apple or white grape juice, and omit the honey.

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Poached Pears in Saffron and Calvados; with Vanilla Cashew Cream

Created by on November 22, 2016

Elegant and classy; Poached pears make a beautiful autumn dessert to serve your family and friends during the holidays. Serve with honey-nut granola, and top with a generous dollop of vanilla cashew cream for a dairy-free indulgence.

  • Prep Time: 15m
  • Cook Time: 1h

Ingredients

Poached Pears

  • 6 pears; Bosc or D'Anjou variety, ripe but firm
  • 2 large oranges
  • 3 c water (or enough to mostly submerge the pears)
  • 2 c white wine
  • 1/4 c calvados brandy
  • 1/4 c light honey (not too floral; can use agave)
  • 5 cardamom pods, slightly bruised
  • 3 dried rose buds (optional)
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • Parchment or wax paper (cut to fit inside a pot)

Vanilla Cashew Cream

  • 1 vanilla bean pod; split and seeds scraped
  • 1 c raw cashews
  • 1 c filtered water

Instructions

  1. Soak the cashews in cold water for 30 min - 1 hour while you prepare the pears.
  2. Juice the oranges and strain them into a large pot with all the liquids and spices. Make sure the pot is wide enough to not overcrowd the pears. Cover and bring the poaching liquid to a simmer.
  3. Quickly peel the pears (leaving the stem intact), and place into the poaching liquid. They should be halfway submerged; if not, top off with more water.
  4. Place the parchment paper on top of the pears so they stay submerged, and cover slightly with a lid. Depending on their ripeness, simmer the pears gently anywhere from 30 - 45 min. Rotate them halfway through.
  5. Check the pears for doneness by inserting a sharp knife in the bottom half. They are done when it goes through without resistance.
  6. With a large slotted spoon, remove the pears gently onto a cutting board to cool. Slightly trim the bottom so they can sit up nicely in a bowl.
  7. Bring the rest of poaching liquid to a boil and reduce to a syrupy consistency. Prepare the cashew cream.
  8. Strain and rinse the cashews and place them into a small high-speed blender (or bullet), with the scraped vanilla bean.
  9. Top off with filtered water, and blend really well to a smooth, creamy consistency.
  10. Serve the pears individually on a bed of granola, pour on some of the reduced syrup, and top each one with a good dollop of vanilla cashew cream.

Notes

  1. To make this dessert non-alcoholic, just replace the wine and brandy with apple or white grape juice, and omit the honey.

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