These Spiced Vanilla Poached Pears are a fresh and simple way to upgrade your breakfast or dessert. The pears become softer and delicious in a warm vanilla and spice syrup that tastes just as lovely cold as it does warm. Serve them with porridge in the morning or with a crème anglaise to finish off a dinner.
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Poaching fruit is one of those kitchen tricks that feels fancy but is truly easy. I like making a batch of these pears on the weekend so they're ready for the week ahead. If you enjoy sweet breakfast ideas, check out my homemade granola or creamy panna cotta. These pears also make a great finish to a simple meal; just add a little chantilly cream or a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Makes an everyday pear feel special
- Easy to prep ahead and enjoy for days
- Pairs well with sweet breakfast or light dessert
- Uses pantry spices and fresh fruit
Recipe Ingredients
- Beurre Bosc pears: These pears hold their shape well and soak up all the flavours
- Sugar & water form the base of the syrup
- Lemon juice adds a little brightness to balance the sweet
- Vanilla bean is the key to deep, rich flavour in these vanilla poached pears
- Cinnamon stick & star anise are the warming spices that bring it all together
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to a simmer and add the vanilla seeds and pod, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and star anise
- Step 2: Peel the pears and cut out the hard core from the bottom
- Step 3: Place the pears into the simmering syrup
- Step 4: Cut a circle of baking paper, poke a few small steam holes, and place it on top of the pears. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 1 hour
Hint: Removing the hard core from the bottom helps pears stand up straight when serving.
I love this poached pear recipe
it's so simple. I've made it so many times!”
Substitutions & Variations
- Use Packham or any firm pears you have on hand, just make sure they’re not too ripe
- Try different spices like cloves, nutmeg, cardamom pods, or a strip of orange peel for a twist
- Replace part of the sugar with honey to make poached pears with honey
- Skip the dairy toppings and serve with syrup alone or a dairy-free yogurt for vegan poached pears
- Add cardamom and serve with custard to make poached pears with cardamom and crème anglaise
- Slice and layer between cakes, or serve over porridge, granola, or alongside ice cream and chantilly cream
Equipment
All you need is:
- A melon baller to remove the core neatly
- A large saucepan
- A sheet of baking paper
Storage
Room temperature: Up to 1 day
Fridge: Store in syrup for up to 5 days
Freezer: Freeze in syrup for up to 1 month and thaw in the fridge, but the texture will be more mushy.
Top Tip
Place a round of baking paper on top of the pears while they simmer to keep them fully covered in the syrup. This helps them cook evenly.
FAQ
Stored in the syrup, they'll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
No, as long as they stay covered in the syrup while cooling and storing.
Beurre Bosc and Packham work well since they stay firm and absorb flavor.
Try them with granola, yogurt, panna cotta, custard, ice cream, or a slice of cake.
Yes, they’re great made the day before and served chilled or gently warmed.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with poached pears:
Spiced Vanilla Poached Pears
Ingredients
- 4 Beurre Bosc pears peeled, end core removed
- 5 cups water
- 600 g sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 4 star anise
Instructions
- Place the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Turn down to a simmer and add the cinnamon, vanilla seeds and bean, star anise and lemon juice.
- Peel the pears and remove the hard core at the base of the pears.
- Place pears into the simmering water.
- Cut out a circle of baking paper and make a few small cuts to allow steam to escape. Carefully place the paper onto the surface of the pears (this will keep the pears submerged). Place lid on saucepan.
- Gently simmer on the lowest setting the pears for 1 hour.
- Remove saucepan from heat and allow the pears to cool in the syrup
- Store pears in the syrup and spices in an airtight container in the fridge. Poached pears will keep for about a week in the fridge.
Nutrition
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Sandra says
Thank you for sharing this recipe