Chai Poached Pears with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

These chai poached pears are the easiest fancy dessert you'll make all fall: whole Bosc pears simmered in honey-sweetened chai until they're silky and spiced, then glazed with the reduced tea syrup and served with a cloud of cinnamon whipped cream. Almost all of the cooking time is hands-off, and the result looks like something from a restaurant dessert menu.

When it comes to fall fruit, pears always seem to take a backseat to apples. But every time you do bring a few home, you remember how good they are, and poaching is one of the best things you can do with them. Poached pears look complicated, but you're really just simmering fruit on the stovetop. Wine is the classic poaching liquid, but chai is even better, because all the warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove) are already blended right into the tea.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chai tea bags. Any spiced black chai works; we like Twinings Chai because it's widely available and nicely balanced. Decaf chai is a great swap if you're serving this late in the evening, and rooibos chai makes a naturally caffeine-free version with a slightly sweeter, earthier flavor.
• Bosc pears. Bosc pears hold their shape beautifully when poached and have a lovely long neck for presentation. Choose pears that are ripe but still firm when you press near the stem. Anjou pears are a good substitute; avoid very soft Bartletts, which can turn mushy.
• Honey. Honey sweetens the chai and gives the reduced syrup its glossy, caramel-like body. A good raw, unfiltered honey adds extra floral depth. For a vegan version, use maple syrup or agave instead.
• Heavy cream. Whips into soft, billowy peaks that melt into the warm syrup. Use chilled coconut cream for a dairy-free topping.
• Sugar and cinnamon. Just a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of ground Ceylon cinnamon turn plain whipped cream into something special. Powdered sugar works too and keeps the cream a little more stable.

Helpful Tips

Core from the bottom. Peel the pears, leaving the stems on, then use a melon baller or a small spoon to scoop out the core from the base. This keeps the pear whole and pretty. Slice a thin sliver off the bottom so each pear stands upright on the plate.

Keep it at a gentle simmer. A hard boil will bruise the fruit and make the outside mushy before the center is tender. Look for small, lazy bubbles, and turn the pears every 5 minutes or so if they aren't fully submerged so they color and cook evenly.

Test with a paring knife. The pears are ready when a thin knife slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance. Depending on size and ripeness this can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, so start checking early.

Reduce the syrup patiently. After the pears come out, boil the poaching liquid until it has reduced to about ½ cup and coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools, so take it off the heat when it's still slightly looser than you want.

Whip the cream cold. Cream whips fastest and holds its shape best straight from the fridge. A hand mixer gets you to soft peaks in about a minute; stop as soon as the cream holds a soft curl so it stays silky instead of grainy.

Variations

• Make it vegan. Swap the honey for maple syrup and top the pears with vegan whipped cream made from coconut cream.
• Red wine and chai. Replace half of the water with a fruity red wine for deep ruby-colored pears, much like the red wine poached cherries we love with chocolate pots de crème.
• Extra spice. Add a cinnamon stick, a few crushed cardamom pods, a strip of orange peel, or a split vanilla bean to the poaching liquid for an even more fragrant syrup.
• Vanilla bean whipped cream. Skip the cinnamon and whip the cream with vanilla bean seeds, or serve the pears with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt instead.
• Halved pears. Short on time? Halve and core the pears before poaching. They'll be tender in about 12 to 15 minutes.

Serving Ideas

Serve each pear standing up in a shallow bowl, with a generous spoonful of the warm chai syrup poured over the top and the cinnamon whipped cream on the side. A sprinkle of chopped toasted pistachios or crushed gingersnaps adds a nice crunch against the soft fruit.

These pears are an elegant finish to a holiday dinner or Thanksgiving table, and the recipe doubles or triples easily for guests. Pair them with a cup of hot chai and a plate of chai shortbread cookies for a cozy spiced dessert spread. Leftover pears are also wonderful sliced over oatmeal, yogurt, or waffles for breakfast, and if you've got more pears than you can poach, turn the extras into chai-spiced pear applesauce.

Storing & Freezing

Poached pears keep beautifully in the refrigerator. Store them submerged in their syrup in an airtight container for up to 4 days; they'll soak up even more chai flavor as they sit. Serve them chilled, or warm them gently in a saucepan with the syrup. Keep the cinnamon whipped cream separately in the fridge and use it within a day, giving it a quick whisk before serving if it has softened.

We don't recommend freezing poached pears. The fruit turns watery and loses its tender, velvety texture once thawed. The reduced chai syrup, however, freezes well for up to 3 months and is delicious drizzled over pancakes, ice cream, or stirred into a latte.

More Pear Desserts

If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:

• Bay, Thyme and Honey Roasted Pears
• Pear & Vanilla Upside Down Cake
• Pear, Chocolate & Cardamom Cake
• Vegan Gingerbread Pear Bundt Cake

📖 Recipe

Chai Poached Pears with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

from Oh My Veggies

Whole Bosc pears gently poached in honey-sweetened chai, glazed with the reduced spiced syrup and served with fluffy cinnamon whipped cream. An elegant fall dessert with mostly hands-off cooking.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

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Equipment

• 3-quart Saucepan
• Peeler
• Melon baller for coring the pears
• Slotted spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Hand mixer or whisk

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

• 2 chai tea bags, regular or decaf
• 1 ½ cups boiling water, plus more as needed to cover the pears
• ⅓ cup honey, or maple syrup for a vegan version
• 2 ripe but firm Bosc pears, peeled, stems left on, cored from the bottom
• ½ cup heavy cream, cold
• 1 teaspoon white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Place the chai tea bags in a 3-quart saucepan and pour the boiling water over them. Let steep for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove the tea bags, squeezing them to release as much liquid as possible. Stir in the honey until dissolved.
• While the tea steeps, peel the pears, leaving the stems on. Use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the core from the bottom of each pear, then slice a thin sliver off the base so the pears can stand upright.
• Lay the pears on their sides in the chai and add just enough water to barely cover them. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the pears every 5 minutes or so, until a paring knife slides easily into the thickest part. Transfer the pears to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Increase the heat to high and bring the poaching liquid to a rolling boil. Boil until reduced to about ½ cup and syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon, 20 to 30 minutes. The syrup will thicken more as it cools.
• To make the whipped cream, add the cold heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or whisk until soft peaks form.
• Stand each pear in a shallow bowl, spoon the warm chai syrup over the top and add a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream on the side. Serve warm.

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Calories: 484kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 29mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 6gSugar: 67gVitamin A: 921IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: Chai Poached Pears, how to make poached pears, poached pears recipe

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