Champagne Honey Poached Pears Recipes

POACHED PEARS IN HONEY, GINGER AND CINNAMON SYRUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the wine, Simple Syrup, cinnamon stick halves, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean and seeds to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted. Add the pears and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool.
• Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick halves and the vanilla bean and discard.
• Place each pear on a small serving plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the honey, ginger and cinnamon syrup. Serve immediately.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

CHAMPAGNE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• 1. Combine all the ingredients except the pears in a pot and bring to a simmer.
• 2. Carefully lower the pears into the liquid (adding up to 1 cup water to make sure the fruit is fully submerged).
• 3. Simmer until the pears are tender, 15 to 17 minutes for small pears, 25 to 30 minutes for large ones.
• 4. Cool the pears in the cooking liquid for 30 minutes before serving, or store them in the refrigerator (still in the liquid) for up to a week.

HONEY POACHED PEARS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/2 cups water, honey, star anise, lemon juice, and sea salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add pears; reduce heat and simmer until tender, turning occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on ripeness. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to medium bowl. Boil liquid and star anise until reduced to 1 cup syrup, about 22 minutes. Pour syrup with star anise over pears. Cover and chill until cold, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Remove star anise from syrup. Divide pears and syrup among 6 bowls. Top each with dollop of crème fraîche and serve.

CHAI-POACHED PEARS WITH SPICY ORANGE SAUCE AND HOMEMADE GRANOLA

Steps:

• Mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, honey, juice and zest of 1 orange, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili flakes, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat for the sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and bring sauce to a very low simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 3/4 cup walnuts, 3/4 cup pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground, 15 to 20 seconds.
• Heat a skillet over to medium-high heat and melt coconut oil. Chop remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and pecans. Add chopped nuts and oats to the hot oil. Toast, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add ground nut mixture and mix until combined. Allow to toast until sugar begins to melt, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in honey and vanilla extract. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the skillet, mixing a couple times as it cools.
• Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add tea bags, remove from heat, cover, and brew tea for 8 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Stir 1/4 cup brown sugar into chai.
• Bring tea/water to a boil again over high heat, add pears, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Gently rotate pears with a spoon (pears will be soft - you don't want to puncture the skin) and continue to simmer another 15 minutes. For a stronger spice flavor, leave pears soaking in the chai for an additional 10 to 15 minutes with the heat off.
• To serve, place a heaping spoonful of coconut yogurt into the hole of the pear. Top with granola and drizzle with orange sauce. Garnish with orange zest.