Serves 4 This dessert is pure decadence. Perfumed pears poached in lightly scented waters, filled to the brim with the food of love…pistachios, almonds, butter and vanilla bean, delicately finished with a sprinkling of oats and flash grilled to perfection. Elegant without complex flavours, this one is definitely a dinner party showstopper.
  • 3 ripe but firm pears (always nice to have an extra serving, although one pear half per person should be enough)

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2 cup of fresh pistachio nuts, chopped very finely
  • 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened but not melted
  • 1/2 cup almonds, skins removed and finely ground (use your coffee grinder and see tip below on removing the skins)
  • 4 vanilla beans, OR 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
  • 3 tbs of icing sugar

For the poaching liquid:

  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 tbs of creme de cassis liquer
  • 1/2 thumb ginger, roughly sliced
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 star anise
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 cups of boiling water

For the topping:

  • 1/2 cup oats

To be served with love with a tot of double cream per serving, TS_PoachedPears_REcipes_Ingredients_V44A1755

  • First prepare the pears. Cut in half and scoop out a circular hole in the middle of each half, large enough for at least 2 tbs of filling. Be careful not to tear through the pear. Set aside
  • Prepare the poaching liquid. In a wide pan, enough to fit all the pears, combine all the ingredients as listed for the poaching liquid and set to heat until it reaches a gentle simmer. Place the pears first skin down for the first five minutes and then turn over for a further five minutes. Keep the liquid at a slow simmer and keep checking the pears as you don’t want them mushy .
  • Prepare the filling by gently combining all the ingredients. I like to use my mortar and pestle, so I am crushing, smoothing and combining at the same time. The filling should feel like a chunky peanut butter.
  • Test the pears by piercing with a skewer. It should slide in easily. Gently remove the pears and let them cool for around ten minutes.
  • Fill each pear half with at least 11/2 tbs of the filling, smoothing at the top for a clean finish. Sprinkle lightly with around 1/2 tbs of oats per pear. Place in a heatproof oven dish. Preheat the grill to hot and five minutes before serving, flash grill the pears until golden and caramel like in the photo.
  • Place a pear half in each plate and spoon over some of the poaching liquid, scattering some of the pretty star anise or cloves to decorate. Place a tot of thick double cream next to each serving. Utterly delicious.

TS_PoachedPears_REcipe_method_V44A1741