Artificial Food Coloring Free Honey Poached Pears with Ginger & Ceylon Cinnamon
Elegant enough for a dinner party yet simple enough for a quiet weeknight, these honey-poached pears are the kind of dessert that looks far more impressive than the effort involved. The warm poaching liquid — built from honey, fresh ginger, lemon zest, and a Ceylon cinnamon stick — fills your kitchen with an aroma that's floral, spiced, and genuinely irresistible. A pinch of ground turmeric gives the syrup a soft golden hue that's entirely natural, so there's no need for dyes or artificial colorants of any kind. That matters more than it might seem, since plenty of store-bought dessert syrups and flavored poaching mixes sneak in synthetic colors you'd never expect. Here, every bit of color and flavor comes straight from real ingredients you can see and name. Once the pears are tender and the syrup has reduced to a glossy, honey-thickened drizzle, you just plate, spoon, and optionally scatter a few fresh mint leaves on top. It's a clean, naturally beautiful finish to any meal.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 firm-ripe bosc or anjou pears
- 3 cups water
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 strips lemon zest (each about 3 inches long), pith removed
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For serving
- fresh mint leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water, honey, Ceylon cinnamon stick, ginger slices, lemon zest, lemon juice, and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the honey is fully dissolved and the liquid is fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
- 2
Add the pear halves cut-side down in a single layer. The poaching liquid should come at least halfway up the sides of the pears; add a splash more water if needed. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, turning the pears once halfway through, until a paring knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance, 18–22 minutes depending on ripeness.
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