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We make these honey-poached pears with ten ingredients. A little honey, vanilla, lemon juice, and brandy bring a big flavor from farm to table. On Chesterhaven Beach Farm, we have a beautiful, old, untouched seckel pear grove. I remember discovering this fact; however, the area was overgrown with vines. I drove the truck up to the trees, got on top of the truck, and picked pears.
When I was first learning how to cook, my cousin Sheri took me to a cooking class at the home of a woman who was a formally trained chef. This chef was very passionate about all the rules around her food preparation and cooking style. I also remember dreading the thought of making all of the recipes - except for the poached pears.
Afterward, I committed her recipe to memory and couldn't wait to go home and try it out. Poached pears are beautiful, even sexy, and not at all difficult to make. Nobody has to know. This recipe for honey-poached pears is a perfect way to finish a healthy meal without much guilt. We used our Sweet Clover Honey, and so can you.
How to Make Honey-Poached Pears
- First, gather all of the ingredients that you will need in order to make this recipe.
- Peel pears, cut them in half, remove the core, and cut them into 1/2″ wedges.
- Place pears in a small saucepan and cover with one cup of water.
- Add lemon, honey, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, star anise (optional), and a pinch of salt and simmer on low to medium heat for about 25 minutes until the pear is cooked and soft. Try to keep pears submerged in the liquid while simmering.
- Remove pears from the saucepan with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl.
- Reduce heat and continue to simmer the liquid until almost evaporated, thick, and bubbly, then remove from heat.
- Add brandy to saucepan and blend; pour poaching syrup over pears.
- Serve with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, a splash of coconut milk, and a drizzle of raw honey.
Adapting our Pear Recipe
You know, a recipe is not truly perfect until you’ve added your touch to it. That’s why we encourage you to play with your food. Call your inner chef to come out and play and change up this recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Top with a garnish of vanilla ice cream or gelato
- Serve these pears under, alongside, or stuffed inside our honey rum cake
- Top with candied nuts
- Keep the pears intact, core them from below, and stuff them with ice cream prior to serving. (I had a version of these pears at Le Coucou in NYC recently, and they were terrific.)
And that’s how we grew and made poached pears part of our everyday summer routine. I hope you try this recipe for yourself; it’s a crowd-pleaser and much too beautiful to miss. If you love pears and want to try another way to prepare them, try our Honey Caramelized Pears recipe.
If you make these pears, tag me on Instagram @beeinspiredgoods so I can see your beautiful creation! If you decide to make this Poached Pear recipe, take a photo and share it with us using #beeinspired on Instagram. We love seeing your photos!
