Almond Free Spiced Poached Pears in Pomegranate Juice
Few desserts look this stunning while asking so little of the cook. Firm pears are gently simmered in a deep, jewel-toned bath of pomegranate juice, grape juice, warm spices, and a ribbon of orange zest until they turn silky and absorb every bit of that fragrant, lightly sweetened liquid. Cinnamon sticks, star anise, fresh ginger, and black peppercorns give the poaching broth a complexity that feels almost luxurious, and the reduced syrup you spoon over the top is genuinely hard to stop tasting. The whole recipe is naturally free from tree nuts at its core — the only nut that appears is an optional pistachio garnish you can simply leave off without changing a single thing about the dish. That makes it an easy, elegant choice for a dinner party where nut allergies are a concern, because the showstopper is already built into the pears and the sauce. A scatter of pomegranate arils adds a little pop of color and tartness if you want to dress things up, but the pears are beautiful and complete on their own. Serve them warm, at room temperature, or even chilled the next day — the flavor only gets better as they rest in that gorgeous syrup.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 firm bosc or anjou pears
- 2 cups 100% pomegranate juice
- 1 cup 100% purple grape juice
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 whole black peppercorns
- 1 strip orange zest (about 3 inches), pith removed
For serving
- 2 tbsp pomegranate arils (optional)
- 2 tbsp dry-roasted pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Peel the pears, halve them lengthwise, and use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the core and seeds. Leave the stems on if you prefer a more elegant presentation.
- 2
Combine the pomegranate juice, grape juice, water, honey, cinnamon sticks, star anise, ginger slices, peppercorns, and orange zest strip in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring once or twice until the honey dissolves, about 3–4 minutes.
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