096 / 100 · Sweet and Unhurried
Honey-Poached Pears with Yogurt Cream
4 poached pears with yogurt cream Active 20 min Total 1 hr 25 min
Poaching lets a firm pear become silky while keeping its shape. Honey and vanilla gently perfume the water, and a strip of lemon peel brings a clean citrus note. After the pears are tender, a short reduction turns some of the poaching liquid into a light poaching sauce. A cool yogurt cream gives the warm fruit a fresh, softly tangy partner. Choose pears that are ripe enough to smell fragrant but still firm under gentle pressure; very soft fruit can break before the centers are cooked.
Fit the fruit snugly
A saucepan that holds the pears in a close single layer needs less liquid to surround them. Turn the pears occasionally if their tops sit above the surface. Keep the water at a quiet simmer rather than a rolling boil, which can knock the fruit against the pan and roughen its edges. Test near the base with a thin knife; it should pass in easily without the fruit falling apart.
A light sauce and a cool cream
Remove the pears before reducing the liquid so they do not overcook while the sauce concentrates. Reduce to the measured final volume rather than relying only on the clock; pan width and burner strength change the evaporation rate. The finished poaching sauce stays light and fluid. Whip the cream only to soft peaks before folding it into the thick yogurt. This keeps the mixture airy and easy to spoon. Set the pears on individual plates with their stems pointing upward, add the yogurt cream beside them, and spoon a small amount of sauce over the fruit.
Ingredients
- 4 medium firm ripe pears, peeled with stems left attached (about 700 g prepared)
- 3 cups water (720 ml)
- 1/3 cup honey (115 g), plus 1 teaspoon for the yogurt cream
- 1 wide strip lemon peel, yellow part only
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (170 g)
- 1/4 cup cold heavy cream (60 ml)
Set out
Medium saucepan that fits four pears snugly, Vegetable peeler, Small bowl, Whisk or electric hand mixer, Slotted spoon
Allergens
Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Trim a very thin slice from each pear base so it can stand upright. Leave the stems attached; the pears may be cored from the base with a small melon baller if desired.
- Combine the water, 1/3 cup honey, lemon peel, lemon juice, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the pears.
- Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, turning occasionally, until a thin knife slides easily into the flesh. Riper pears may be ready sooner; very firm ones may need longer.
- Lift the pears onto a plate. Remove and discard the lemon peel. Boil the poaching liquid until about 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) remain, checking after 10 minutes and allowing roughly 10–20 minutes depending on the pan. Pour into a measuring jug to check the volume if needed. The reduced liquid is a light, fluid poaching sauce. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Whip the cold cream to soft peaks. Stir the remaining teaspoon honey into the yogurt, then fold in the whipped cream. Keep cold until serving.
- Stand a warm or cooled pear on each plate, add a spoonful of yogurt cream beside it, and spoon a little poaching sauce over the fruit. Serve any remaining sauce separately.
A useful detail
A snug saucepan lets the measured water reach most of the way up the pears. Check the reduced poaching sauce by volume: the target is 1 1/2 cups (360 ml), and reduction time depends on pan width and heat.
Make it your own
- Halve and core the pears before poaching for easier eating; start checking tenderness after 12 minutes.
- Use a strip of orange peel instead of lemon peel, keeping the measured lemon juice.
Keep it well
Refrigerate the pears in their cooled poaching sauce and the yogurt cream separately within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or colder for up to 3 days. Serve chilled or rewarm the pears separately. Honey is unsuitable for children younger than 12 months.