Orange and Cinnamon Stewed Pears

Orange and Cinnamon Stewed Pears - sweet pears poached in citrus and subtle spices until they are soft enough to cut with a spoon!

Today I am bringing you a recipe that's another "oldie but a goodie" - my take on the classic Stewed Pears. These pears make an easy weeknight dessert, but are also easy to fancy up for a dinner party. Plus the option of serving warm or cold as well as making ahead - so many possibilities!

I have flavoured these poached pears with citrus plus some subtle spices - all easily accessible from your local supermarket or home pantry.

Ingredients you will need for this recipe

• pears
• water
• oranges
• honey
• granulated white sugar
• cloves
• cinnamon
• fresh ginger
• macadamia nuts
• pine nuts
• slivered almonds
• Lotus biscoff biscuits (optional)
• mascarpone (to serve)

*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions

How to cook stewed pears

1. Add water, orange juice, orange peel, sugar, honey and spices to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, peel and quarter the pears, and remove the cores.
3. Add quartered pears to the syrup mixture in the saucepan, topping up with extra water if needed.
4. Top with a circle of baking paper (a cartouche - see section below), then simmer until pears are soft.
5. When soft, remove stewed pears with a slotted spoon and continue to simmer syrup to desired consistency.
6. Meanwhile, place nuts into a small frypan and fry until lightly toasted.
7. Roughly chop nuts.
8. Then roughly chop Lotus biscuits and combine with nuts.

How to make a cartouche

1. Take a square of baking paper big enough to cover the pot and fold it into quarters, then again into eighths.
2. Place this onto the base of the upturned lid of the pot, with the point in the centre.
3. Trim the widest end of the baking paper to fit inside the edge of the pot lid. Also, snip off a small section of the pointed end.
4. Fold out baking paper - you should have a round circle of paper with a hole in the middle (to stop it bubbling off with the steam) to place on top of your dish as it cooks.

PS: If you forget to cut a hole in the middle like I did in the process shots further back up the page - just rest a teaspoon on top of the baking paper, this will stop it from bubbling up too much!!!!

My top tips for making this recipe

• Why make a cartouche? This is to help keep the pears at the top moist as they cook.
• The recipe calls for 6 cloves, so I also chop the ginger into 6 pieces to go into the syrup - this way I know when I have got them all!
• I use a vegetable peeler to cut the strips of orange rind. Try not to get any of the white pith as it's bitter tasting. 
• How long you simmer the pears will depend on the ripeness of your pears, and how tender you would like them. I simmered mine for 15 minutes and they were tender enough to cut with a spoon - no knife needed!
• Simmering the remaining syrup will thicken it, but will also reduce the amount. Keep in mind it will thicken a little on cooling.

More easy dessert recipes you may like

Mascarpone and Nutella Creme - a dangerously easy make ahead dessert with only 5 ingredients!

Banoffee Cups with my Secret Ingredient - cute little individual serves of banoffee pie with a few short cuts and my secret special ingredient!

Orange and Cinnamon Stewed Pears

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Orange and Cinnamon Stewed Pears - sweet pears poached in citrus and subtle spices until they are soft enough to cut with a spoon!

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Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Lee-Ann Grace

Ingredients

Stewed Pears

• 4 pears I used Beurre Bosc (brown) pears
• 1½ cups water plus more as needed
• 2 large oranges 4 wide strips of zest removed then juiced (approx ½ cup of juice)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup granulated white sugar (60g)
• 2½ cm piece of fresh ginger (1") peeled and roughly chopped into 6 chunks
• 6 cloves
• pinch of cinnamon a scant ⅛ tsp
• mascarpone to serve

Nut Crumble

• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
• 4 Lotus biscoff biscuits (optional)

Instructions

• Add water (1½ cups), orange juice (2 oranges - approx ½ cup), orange peel (4 strips), white sugar (¼ cup/60g), honey (1 tbsp), ginger (2½ cm/1" piece cut into 6), cloves (6) and cinnamon (a pinch - a scant ⅛ tsp) to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, peel and quarter the pears, and remove the cores.
• Add quartered pears to the syrup mixture in the saucepan, topping up with extra water if needed until the pears as just barely covered.
• Top with a circle of baking paper (a cartouche - see section in recipe post) then simmer for 15 minutes or until pears are soft.
• When soft, remove stewed pears with a slotted spoon and set aside. Continue to simmer syrup to desired consistency. Remove orange peel, ginger and cloves to serve.
• Serve pears topped with syrup, a dollop of mascarpone and nut crumble sprinkled on top.

Nut Crumble

• Place roughly chopped macadamia nuts (1 tbsp), pine nuts (1 tbsp) and slivered almonds (1 tbsp) into a small frypan over medium low heat and fry until lightly toasted, then roughly chop.
• Roughly chop Lotus biscuits (4) if using and combine with nuts.

Notes

• Why make a cartouche? This is to help keep the pears at the top moist as they cook.
• The recipe calls for 6 cloves, so I also chop the ginger into 6 pieces to go into the syrup - this way I know when I have got them all!
• I use a vegetable peeler to cut the strips of orange rind. Try not to get any of the white pith as it's bitter tasting. 
• How long you simmer the pears will depend on the ripeness of your pears, and how tender you would like them. I simmered mine for 15 minutes and they were tender enough to cut with a spoon - no knife needed!
• Simmering the remaining syrup will thicken it, but will also reduce the amount. Keep in mind it will thicken a little on cooling.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*