Poached pears are a classic that you don’t see too often now but I wanted to bring them back and make them fun! Obviously we wouldn’t use wine in a children’s cookery class so we trialled using blackberries to add colour to our pears… and it worked!! The blackberries turn the pears a lovely pink colour. Using a vanilla pod (even as a one off, as they are so expensive) creates such a beautiful flavour and teaches us all where vanilla comes from and how amazing it is!
Ingredients
Poached Pears:
- 4 – 5 Conference Pears
- 400ml Water
- 200g Frozen Blackberries
- 2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
- 1/2 Vanilla Pod, seeds removed
Vanilla Cream:
- 300ml Double Cream
- Seeds from 1/2 Vanilla Pod
- 1Tbsp Caster Sugar
Directions
- In a small/medium saucepan, pour in the water, blackberries and sugar and add the vanilla pod once the seeds have been removed. Bring the liquid to boil, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar.
- Peel the pears, leaving the stalks completely in tact. Cut off the bottoms of the pears so that they sit upright.
- Carefully place the pears in the poaching liquid, making sure they are all covered. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, use a hand whisk to whip the cream to soft peaks. Use a spatula to stir in the vanilla seeds and sugar. Taste and add more sugar if necessary.
- Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and place them on a piece of kitchen roll for 30 seconds before serving.
- Serve with the cream and any additional elements you fancy e.g. chocolate sauce, crushed biscuits or blackberries from the poaching liquid.
