Poached pears are a great lighter alternative to a rich heavy dessert but still have loads of flavor to satisfy the most discerning sweet tooth. Serve with your favorite non-dairy ice cream and experiment poaching different kinds of fruit.
No, really, it is still possible to have great desserts even when you are committed to a healthier lifestyle (at least that’s what I am told). I am not a nutritionist; I don’t even play one on TV and I’m not going to profess to have all the answers. But I do know a tantalizing, lite dessert when I see one. I can assure you that these Orange Ginger Poached Pears satisfy a sweet tooth.
This recipe is perfect since pears are in season. Try swapping coconut milk ice cream for the soy ice cream – or you can forget the “ice cream”, if you wish (why you would do that, I’ll never understand, but to each their own).
The pears are simmered in a broth of orange juice, water, sugar (not too much), salt (a pinch) and ginger. Ginger is aromatic, pungent and spicy- great in Asian stir fries and fruit and veggie dishes. Cook with ginger, and everyone will think you’re a gourmet (love shortcuts to success). Fresh ginger root is available year round, just to make your life a bit easier. After all isn’t that what we are all going for here?
Orange Ginger Poached Pears
Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2- inch piece of ginger peeled and sliced
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 anjou pears peeled, halved and cored
- 2 cup non-dairy ice cream
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine orange juice, water, sugar, ginger and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add pears. Simmer until just tender, about 8 minutes. Remove pears and set aside.
- Bring mixture to a boil and reduce until a little thicker, about 10 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine mesh sieve.
- Serve each pear half with a scoop of ice cream and a few tablespoons of sauce.
uhm, yeah, like 74…. click here: http://bit.ly/1jx8tWS
Any other dessert recipes with pears?
Hi Lisa, you can leave out the added sugar in this recipe, but all juice has naturally occurring sugar. You can try a reduced calorie sugar that uses some artificial sweetener to lower the sugar more if desired.
Hey Lisa, I recommend using 100% apple or orange juice where there is no added sugar (all sugar in the product is naturally-occurring and comes from the fruit juice).
what can i use instead of orange3 juice for this to be sugar free?
yes sure just omit it!
would this work with out the sugar?
sure it could. But I do really love pears for this dish. If you decide to use apples you may need to simmer a little longer just watch and taste until it’s right and tender.
This looks like it would be awesome as a Shabbat dessert. Would it work with apples?