If you are lucky enough to have a pear tree in your garden, now should be just about the time that the fruit are ripe. Time then to pick a few before that annoying partridge takes up residence on the first day of Christmas!
The rest of us will no doubt just have to pop along to the Co-op as usual, for the ingredients for this interesting take on the classic poached pears dessert.
Enjoy!
Ingredients (Serves: 4)
600ml freshly made strong coffee
50g brown sugar
1 star anise
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
75ml dark rum
4 firm dessert pears, such as Rocha or Comice
For the Coconut Crumb
30g plain flour
30g butter, cold, cubed
30g caster sugar
30g coconut flakes
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas Mk 5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment
- Pour the coffee into a saucepan with a lid that is large enough to hold the pears snugly, add the sugar, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and rum and heat gently over a low heat.
- Meanwhile, carefully peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact.
- Add the pears to the pan and poach over a medium heat, covered with the lid, for 20–30 minutes or until tender, shaking the pan occasionally.
- The poaching liquid should be nice and syrupy. If not, remove the pears and reduce it over a high heat. Note - we struggled to get the liquid syrupy, but it didn’t seem to be essential.
- Meanwhile, make the coconut crumb. Place the flour, butter, sugar and coconut into a bowl and rub together with your fingers to the texture of breadcrumbs.
- Spread over the lined baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Remove the pears from the heat and allow to cool slightly in the spiced coffee mixture.
- Transfer to a bowl and chill (or serve warm, if preferred).
- To serve, place a pear in a shallow serving dish, strain the coffee syrup over the top and scatter over some of the coconut crumb.