• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Yang's Nourishing Kitchen

Healing through Traditional Foods

  • ABOUT
    • KOMBUCHA WORKSHOP
    • CONTACT
    • PRIVACY & DISCLOSURE
  • PRODUCTS I TRUST
    • BEAUTYCOUNTER
    • PERFECT SUPPLEMENTS
  • RECIPES
  • HOLISTIC HEALTH

November 2, 2020 By Yang Leave a Comment

Cardamom, Saffron & Vanilla Poached Pear

Share
Pin18
Tweet1
Yum1
Reddit
Share
Print Recipe ◦ Jump to Recipe

This cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear is delightful. Infused with warm and delicate herbs and spices, then drizzled with a golden colour syrup reduced from the poaching liquid, the subtly sweet pear is elegant to serve on special occasions and a healthy dessert to dig in without the guilt. 

cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear

My friend Creag and I have been cooking together quite a bit over webcam during the lockdown this year, I even blogged about the injera we made. This cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear is another dish we cooked together, one of his best recipes that he so generously let me share on the blog with you all. 

I am not a dessert person in general, I admit. When most desserts are overwhelmingly sweet and heavy, I have a hard time enjoying them. Though I do appreciate fruits being the star making a light and healthy dessert, like this cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear.

Besides, eating pear is very beneficial in the winter. For a medicinal use of the pear, check out my Sichuan Fritillaria Steamed Pear recipe.

a pear dessert drizzled with syrup

How to select the pear

You want to use a pear variety of which the flesh is pale in colour in order to take on the golden hue of the saffron. Bartlett pears are common to find and ideal for this recipe. I have also tried Bosc pears, but their flesh is on the darker side, which isn’t a good fit for this recipe. Most Asian pears have white flesh and are fantastic alternatives. 

Select 8 large pears. I use a 10″ diameter stainless steel pot. Make sure all the pears fit in the pot without stacking on each other, while all the pears are submerged in the liquid. If you are using a larger or smaller pot, adjust the recipe accordingly.

Use pears that are raw to medium ripeness. If the pears are too ripe, they may not hold the shape well during cooking.

pears soaking up flavour in the poaching liquid saffron gives the pears a golden colouroverhead shot of the cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear

Tips for Poached Pear

A few tips when making this recipe:

  • For best display, slice the bottom of the pears off a thin layer to allow the pears to stand upright.
  • Soaking peeled pears in a bowl of water with lemon juice can prevent browning.
  • The seeds inside the cardamom pods carry a lot of flavour. Crush the green cardamom pods to maximize the aroma infused into the poaching liquid.
  • When reducing the poaching liquid, turn off the heat when the syrup is approaching desired consistency; the syrup will thicken after cooled down.
  • After poaching the pears, the same poaching liquid can be used to poach more fruits, such as peach, plum, and apple.
  • Leftover syrup is great on pancakes.

More healthy dessert recipes you will love:

  • No-Cook Golden Milk Coconut Mango Pudding (Paleo, AIP, GAPS)
  • Sesame Candy
  • Healthy Limeade Jello (GAPS, Paleo)
  • Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Coconut Scones
  • Mango Kefir Ice Cream
  • 3 Ingredient Strawberry Kefir Popsicles (GAPS, Gluten-Free)

cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear sitting in a jar and golden syrup

Let’s connect on social media!  Find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Subscribe to my newsletter for free nourishing recipes and blog updates delivered to your inbox.

Print
Cardamom, Saffron and Vanilla Poached Pear
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Rest Time
1 d
Total Time
1 d 45 mins
 

This cardamom, saffron and vanilla poached pear is delightful. Infused with warm and delicate herbs and spices, then drizzled with a golden colour syrup reduced from the poaching liquid, the subtly sweet pear is elegant to serve on special occasions and a healthy dessert to dig in without the guilt.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Persian
Keyword: pear
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 200 kcal
Author: Yang
Ingredients
  • 8 large Bartlett pears
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 lemon
  • 15 green cardamom
  • 1/8 tsp saffron
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 6 dried rose bud
Instructions
  1. Select 8 large pears. I use a 10" diameter stainless steel pot. Make sure all the pears fit in the pot without stacking on each other, while all the pears are submerged in the liquid. If you are using a larger or smaller pot, adjust the recipe accordingly. Use pears that are raw to medium ripeness. If the pears are too ripe, they may not hold the shape well during cooking.

  2. Peel the skin of the pears, slice the bottom of the pears off just a thin layer, so that the pears can stand upright. Submerge the peeled pears immediately into a large bowl of water with lemon juice to prevent oxydation and browning.

  3. Lightly crush the cardamom pods. Combine water, green cardamom, saffron, pure vanilla extract, white wine, sugar and rose buds in the stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes uncovered.

  4. Drop the pears into the poaching liquid, simmer for 15 minutes uncovered.

  5. Let the pot cool down. Transfer the pears and poaching liquid into a large container.

  6. Store the container in the fridge. Allow the pears to soak up flavour for at least 24 hours, and up to a week. Turn the pear midway through to allow the whole pear pick up colour.

  7. Transfer the poaching liquid into a small sauce pan. Boil the poaching liquid to reduce to a syrup. Note that the syrup will thicken after cooled down. Stop the cooking process when the syrup is approaching desired consistency but on the thinner side.

  8. Serve the pears in dessert bowls, drizzel syrup over the pear.

  9. Leftover syrup can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for a month.

Recipe Notes
  1. You want to use a pear variety of which the flesh is pale in colour in order to take on the golden hue of the saffron. Bartlett pears are common to find and ideal for this recipe. I have also tried Bosc pears, but their flesh is on the darker side, which isn't a good fit for this recipe. Most Asian pears have white flesh and are fantastic alternatives. 
  2. After poaching the pears, the same poaching liquid can be used to poach more fruits, such as peach, plum, and apple.
  3. Leftover syrup is great on pancakes.
Cardamom, Saffron & Vanilla Poached Pear
Share
Pin18
Tweet1
Yum1
Reddit
Share
Yang’s Nourishing Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites. I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. For more information, see the full disclosure.

Filed Under: Autumn, Desserts & Sweets, Recipe Card, Recipes Tagged With: gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, vegan, vegetarian

About Yang

I found cure naturally for my incurable fibromyalgia. I believe you too can heal from ailments by listening to your own body. Let me show you how to use traditional wisdom to heal and use food as medicine. Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

sign up for free email updates


More Nourishing Recipes

a bowl of chicken broth seaweed egg drop soup.
Previous Post: « Safer Skincare products for Rosacea from Beautycounter
Next Post: Honeysuckle, Monk Fruit and Chrysanthemum Tea »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hello! Nice to meet you!

Here you will find many nourishing recipes and natural remedies at Yang's Nourishing Kitchen.

Born and raised in China, now living in Canada for the past 20+ years, Yang shares time-tested traditional wisdom from the east to the west, through nutrient-dense real food recipes.

Having healed herself successfully from illness labeled incurable, Yang uses her knowledge and experience to help others to achieve balance and well-being. Read More…

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

– Subscribe to blog via email –

What we put on our skin is equally important as what we put in our body. The clean beauty brand I use screens for chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, organ toxicity and severe skin irritation. Learn more ..

Footer


Yang’s Nourishing Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.
(Fermented) Probiotic raspberry kefir cream cheese spread can be easily made at home using real milk kefir grains.
Sake Kasu Recipe: this sake kasu marinade is great on chicken, as well as other meats and fish to bring out big flavours while acting as a tenderizer. Sake kasu, a traditional ingredient, has been regaining recognization in recent years in modern cooking. Sake kasu is appreciated for its nutritional values by the health enthusiasts, as well as praised for its rich umami flavour by the gourmet chefs. Meet this new ingredient that has the best of both worlds - nutrition and flavour.

This site is for information only. I share what worked for me in my nourishing kitchen and journey of healing. I am not a trained medical professional or nutritionist. Check with your healthcare provider before changing your diet or adopting new medical treatments.

© - Yang’s Nourishing Kitchen. All Rights Reserved.