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This is such a happy looking dessert that promises to be as delicious as it looks.
If you are thinking of substituting water for the alcohol, don't bother. I tested that out for you. It simply lacks the oomph of pears poached in alcohol and if you have had any kind of fruit poached in some kind of alcohol before, you can definitely taste the difference here and will be disappointed. Additions of cardamons, lemon peel, etcetera to make up for the alcohol won't be the same. Stick to alcohol in this recipe. If you must, try instead a mix of alcohol and water.
THE YELLOWEST SAFFRON POACHED PEARS
Prep:
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15 minutes
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Cook:
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20 minutes to 1 hour depending on how ripe pears are.
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Inactive:
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Soak the saffron threads overnight for the best intensity of flavour and colour.
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Level:
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Easy
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Makes:
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Oven Temperature:
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-
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Can recipe be doubled?
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Make ahead?
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Pears can be poached up to 5 days ahead. Cream can be mixed a day ahead.
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Just the ingredients
Pears and poaching liquid
5 ripe but still firm pears
1 bottle (750ml) dry/sweet white wine
OR a mix of water and wine
3/4 cup sugar
1 generous pinch (~1/4 teaspoon) saffron threads
1/4 cup of water
1 tiny pinch of tumeric powder (optional)
3 - 4 segments of a star anise
The cream & embellishments
1/2 cup Mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy/thickened/double cream
OR
Use either all mascarpone or double cream
OR
Vanilla ice cream
1 Tablespoon caster/icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract
zest of 1 large lemon (optional)
Edible flowers/leaves for decorations (optional)
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| Ingredients for poaching pears |
Pears and poaching liquid
5 ripe but still firm pears
Bosch, Anjou or Comice keeps its shape better but other varieties will also work.
1 bottle (750ml) dry/sweet white wine
OR a mix of water and wine
3/4 cup sugar
You might need more/less depending on how dry your choice of wine is.
1 generous pinch (~1/4 teaspoon) saffron threads
1/4 cup of water
1 tiny pinch of tumeric powder
Helps to intensify the yellow colour without the taste of tumeric (that is, if you don't add more). Add less than more, colour will deepen with poaching and storing. Omit if you don't have it.
3 - 4 segments of a star anise
Gives it a subtle earthly flavour. Using too much tips the balance of flavours.
The cream & embellishments
1/2 cup Mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy/thickened/double cream
OR
Use either all mascarpone or double cream
OR
Vanilla ice cream
1 Tablespoon caster/icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract
zest of 1 large lemon (optional)
To be grated directly over plated pears.
Edible flowers for decorations (optional)
I used basil flowers as I had them in my garden. Substitute with a sliver of fresh herb like basil (nothing too overpowering) or just leave them out. Once I rummaged through my vegetable bin and found some watercress. I picked off the leaves and used that. You never know what you have if you don't look.
Method
Poaching pears
To get the best flavour and intensity of colour, soak the saffron threads in 1/4 cup of water the night before.
Peel, half and core the pears as I have done (refer to the process in the picture above).
Set the pears, flat side down. The cooking vessel should fit all the pears in one layer.
Add all the poaching liquid ingredients and if the pears are not submerged, add water to cover.
In the meantime, to keep pears under poaching liquid, cut a circle of parchment paper to fit your cooking vessel. Cut a few small holes to allow steam to vent through. Place over the pears.
How fast the pears cook depends on your choice and ripeness of pear. Could take 20 minutes to 1 hour.
To test if they are ready, slide in a cake skewer, if it slides in like it was going through soft butter, it's done. Turn off the stove and let it cool there completely before transferring into the refrigerator with the poaching liquid to chill completely (keep parchment paper over pears). Keeps well up to 5 days. The flavours will become more intense and the pears will get sweeter.
There is no need to boil the poaching liquid into a syrup. It is good as it is and reducing it to a syrup will make it too saccharine sweet.
The cream
Mix the mascarpone and double cream with the sugar and vanilla. Don't over mix or it will get lumpy. Anyway, even if it did turn lumpy, it's no big deal, it will still taste good. If not using straight away, cover and refrigerate. Can be made a day ahead.
If only using double cream, add the sugar and vanilla and whip to soft peaks. This too can be made a day ahead.
If only using mascarpone, add sugar and vanilla and mix in. May be put together a day ahead.
To serve
Remove pears to serving vessel(s).
Strain the poaching liquid.
Drizzle poaching liquid over pears. Dollop prepared cream over pears. Wedge the edible flower/leaf on cream. Grate lemon zest directly over pears.
Transfer remaining poaching liquid into a pretty pouring jug for diners to help themselves.
Similarly, any extra cream should be put out at the dining table.
Serve quickly.
Tips
Potluck
This is a good dish to take to a potluck. Not only can it be made 5 days ahead, your fellow diners will be quite pleased that it won't be yet another cake that they would be having for dessert. Quite simply, transfer pears to portable serving vessel, strain poaching liquid over them and cover the vessel. Cream can be whipped in advanced and transferred into a heavy duty plastic bag. Take to host's place and refrigerate. Before serving, snip corner off the bag and pipe cream onto pears.
Besides these saffron poached pears, I also like:
Seriously, this is the simplest, simplest dessert and very wonderful to eat. Dried prunes marinated and plump up in alcohol a night before or weeks ahead! Serve with store bought vanilla ice cream. No one would believe that there was practically no effort involved.
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