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Apple Cider Poached Pears make a warmly spiced vegan dessert, with pears gently cooked in apple cider, cinnamon, and cloves. The poaching liquid is reduced into a syrup that’s poured over the tender fruit before serving. With 10 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, this simple dessert is ready in 45 minutes and serves four.
Why Make Apple Cider Poached Pears?
Apple cider, cinnamon, and cloves give these pears a warm, spiced flavor, while gentle poaching makes them tender. The method is straightforward: simmer the fruit in the seasoned cider mixture, then boil the remaining cooking liquid until it thickens into a syrup. Pouring that syrup over the pears carries the same apple-and-spice flavors through the finished dessert. Under-ripe pears are used to help them hold their shape as they cook, and a fork check helps you stop when they reach your preferred tenderness. Identified as vegan, this dessert serves four and is ready in 45 minutes.
Ingredients for Apple Cider Poached Pears
- Under-ripe pears (3 large or 6 small): Firmer pears hold their shape better during poaching. Peel them, cut them into segments, and discard the cores before cooking.
- Apple cider (2 cups): Cider forms the main part of the poaching liquid and gives the pears and finished syrup their apple flavor.
- Water (1 cup): Water combines with the cider to make enough liquid for poaching the fruit.
- Cinnamon sticks (2): These add warm spice to the poaching liquid as the pears cook.
- Whole cloves (5): Cloves lend another layer of spice to the cider mixture and syrup.
- Coconut sugar (⅓ cup): Sugar sweetens the poaching liquid, which is reduced into syrup. Brown sugar can be used instead.
How to Make Apple Cider Poached Pears with Spiced Syrup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Tender pears are gently poached in apple cider with cinnamon and cloves, then served with a sweet spiced syrup.
Ingredients
- 3 large or 6 small under-ripe pears, such as Green Anjou
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup water
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
Instructions
- Peel the pears and cut them into segments. Discard the cores.
- Combine the pears, apple cider, water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sugar in a large pot or Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Check the pears with a fork. When they are cooked to your liking, remove them from the pot and set them aside to cool. Avoid overcooking, as they can become mushy.
- Bring the remaining liquid to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it thickens into a syrup.
- Pour the syrup over the pears.
- Serve immediately, or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Under-ripe pears hold their shape better during poaching.
- Brown sugar can be used in place of coconut sugar.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the size and ripeness of the pears; check them with a fork to prevent overcooking.
- Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients used.
How to Make Apple Cider Poached Pears
Peel and Segment the Pears
Peel the pears, then cut them into segments. Remove and discard the cores so the fruit is ready to go into the poaching liquid. The recipe calls for 3 large or 6 small pears; using under-ripe fruit helps the segments hold their shape as they cook. Set the prepared pears aside while you gather the remaining ingredients and choose a large pot or Dutch oven.
Combine the Poaching Ingredients
Add the pear segments to a large pot or Dutch oven. Pour in the apple cider and water, then add the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and coconut sugar. Brown sugar may be used in place of the coconut sugar. Stir the ingredients to combine, distributing the sugar and spices through the liquid around the pears before heating the pot.
Bring the Mixture to a Low Boil
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. This begins the poaching process, allowing the pears to cook in the cider, water, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Once the liquid reaches a low boil, move on to the covered simmer rather than continuing to cook it at this higher heat.
Cover and Simmer the Pears
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer the pears for about 25 minutes. The exact cooking time can vary depending on the size and ripeness of the fruit, so use the stated time as a guide rather than relying on it alone. Check the pears with a fork as they cook to judge when they have reached your preferred tenderness.
Check the Pears and Set Them Aside
Test a pear segment with a fork and remove the pears from the pot when they are cooked to your liking. Their tenderness is the important guide, since size and ripeness can affect how long they take. Avoid overcooking: the pears can become mushy if left on the heat too long. Once ready, lift them out of the pot and set them aside to cool.
Reduce the Cooking Liquid to Syrup
Leave the cooking liquid in the pot after removing the pears. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, then boil for 5 to 10 minutes, until it thickens into a syrup. Keep an eye on the liquid as it boils and use the change in thickness to tell when it is ready. The cooking liquid carries the cider and spice flavors from the poaching process.
Pour the Syrup over the Pears
When the liquid has thickened into syrup, pour it over the pears. This is the recipe’s finishing step, bringing the reduced apple cider and spices back together with the cooked fruit. Make sure the syrup is poured over the pears before serving or storing them so it accompanies the fruit as intended.
Serve or Refrigerate
The pears may be served immediately with the spiced syrup, or kept for later in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you are not serving them right away, transfer the pears and syrup to the container for storage. When ready to serve, serve the pears with the syrup poured over them.
Tips for Tender, Intact Poached Pears
Start with under-ripe pears, which hold their shape better during poaching than fruit that is already very ripe. This helps the segments stay intact as they soften in the cider mixture. The recipe works with either 3 large pears or 6 small ones, but size and ripeness can affect how quickly they cook.
Use the 25-minute simmer as a guide, not a guarantee that every pear will be ready at the same moment. Check the pears with a fork to assess their tenderness, and remove them from the pot when they are cooked to your liking. This check helps account for differences in the fruit without relying on timing alone.
Avoid leaving the pears to cook beyond the tenderness you prefer, since overcooking can make them mushy. Once they are ready, take them out of the pot and set them aside to cool while you reduce the cooking liquid into syrup.
Serving and Storing
Serve the poached pears with the spiced syrup poured over them. They can be served immediately after the syrup is made, or refrigerated and served later. Keep the syrup with the pears so it is ready to accompany the fruit when serving.
For storage, transfer the pears and syrup to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. This makes it possible to prepare the dessert ahead of serving or keep any leftovers for another occasion. The recipe’s storage direction is to refrigerate the pears in a sealed container; serve them with the syrup, whether enjoying them right away or after refrigeration.
