• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Substitutes
  • Basics
  • Pairings

A Nourishing Plate

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Substitutes
  • Basics
  • Pairings
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Substitutes
    • Basics
    • Pairings
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    October 28, 2022 Dessert

    Poached Pears With Hibiscus & Rosemary

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Simple poached pears cooked in a hibiscus rosemary orange syrup. This recipe makes an elegant dessert but also pairs well with savory foods. It's easy to make and highly customizable.

    Poaching is a moist-heat cooking method that involves cooking food submerged in liquid at a low temperature. The reason pears work so well for poaching is that they're able to maintain their shape during the cooking process.

    Several recipes cook the pears in red wine to infuse not only the flavor but also the deep purple-red hue into the pears. For this recipe, I made a hibiscus tea infused simple syrup to give it a similar deep red color without using alcohol.

    Ingredients

    Firm pears - Bosc works really well, but you can also use Anjou or Bartlett varieties. It's best to use slightly underripe pears so that they can hold their shape while cooking.

    Hibiscus tea - a tart, floral taste with a deep red hue similar to cranberry.

    Water - to infuse the tea.

    Organic cane sugar - balances out the tartness of the hibiscus and adds sweetness.

    Orange peel & juice - another layer of flavor to infuse into the pears.

    Fresh rosemary sprigs - the flavor pairs nicely with the orange and hibiscus and adds an earthy element.

    Vanilla extract - more flavor.

    How to Make Poached Pears

    Add all the ingredients except the pears to a large saucepan or pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

    Peel the pears and cut them in half. Then scoop out the seeds but keep the stems attached. Once the liquid is boiling, gently lower the pears into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, flipping the pears over halfway through.

    Remove the lid and transfer the pears to a large container. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for a few minutes to reduce the liquid. Use a sieve to pour the syrup over the pears. They can be eaten warm or cold with the reduced syrup drizzled over the top, but I recommend letting the pears bathe in the syrup for a few hours to deepen their flavor.

    Use any leftover infused syrup for mocktails or cocktails.

    Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

    Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

    How can you make these simple poached pears using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

    • No hibiscus tea? – you can use any tea you'd like or omit it if you choose to use wine or juice instead of water.
    • Instead of water - use any kind of juice or wine instead.
    • No organic cane sugar? - use any kind of sweetener you like - honey, maple syrup, etc.
    • No orange? - use water in place of the juice and lemon peel or zest.
    • No rosemary? - sub fresh thyme, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, etc.

    How to Serve Poached Pears

    If you want to serve them as a dessert, you can smear thick plain yogurt or cashew cream on a plate, followed by the poached pears, a sprinkle of granola or toasted quinoa for a little crunch, and a drizzle of the reduced syrup. You can also serve them with miso caramel (yum!) or on top of oat flour waffles.

    If going the savory route, cut each poached pear half into slices and add to a sandwich, salad, charcuterie board, pizza, or anywhere you want a sweet and savory flavor combination.

    More Fruity Dessert Recipes

    • Baked Apples With Oatmeal
    • Apple and Blueberry Crumble
    • Lemon Bars
    Hibiscus poached pears on a bed of yogurt with a side of fresh rosemary.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Poached Pears With Hibiscus & Rosemary

    Simple poached pears cooked in a hibiscus rosemary orange syrup. This recipe makes an elegant dessert but also pairs well with savory foods. It's easy to make and highly customizable. All substitutions/variations can be found in the notes section below.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Servings: 4
    Author: Lindsey Jenkins

    Ingredients

    • 4 firm pears Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett
    • 3 hibiscus tea bags or 1 tablespoon loose leaf
    • 2 cups water
    • 2-3 orange peel strips or zest of 1 orange
    • ½ cup orange juice
    • ½ cup organic cane sugar
    • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Add all the ingredients except the pears to a large saucepan or pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
    • Peel the pears and cut them in half. Then scoop out the seeds but keep the stems attached. Once the liquid is boiling, gently lower the pears into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, flipping the pears over halfway through. 
    • Remove the lid and transfer the pears to a large container. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for a few minutes to reduce the liquid. Use a sieve to pour the syrup over the pears. They can be eaten warm or cold with the reduced syrup drizzled over the top, but I recommend letting the pears bathe in the syrup for a few hours to deepen their flavor.

    Notes

    SUBSTITUTIONS:
    No hibiscus tea? – you can use any tea you'd like or omit it if you choose to use wine or juice instead of water.
    Instead of water - use any kind of juice or wine instead.
    No organic cane sugar? - use any kind of sweetener you like - honey, maple syrup, etc.
    No orange? - use water in place of the juice and lemon peel or zest.
    No rosemary? - sub fresh thyme, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, etc.

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Apple mug cake with a scoop of cream and dusting of cinnamon.
      Apple Mug Cake
    • Pouring miso caramel into a jar.
      Miso Caramel
    • A bowl full of no-bake healthy cookie dough balls with chocolate chips.
      Cookie Dough Bites
    • Spoon in a jar of apple curd.
      Apple Curd

    Reader Interactions

    Rate & Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lindsey. My goal is to teach you how to become a better cook, rely less on recipes, and be more adaptable in the kitchen depending on what's in season, in your pantry, or to fit your dietary needs. All recipes are dairy-free but come with a "make it your way" substitution section to get you started.

    More about me →

    Spring Recipes

    • A large bowl of potato and asparagus salad with roasted garlic dressing.
      Potato Asparagus Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
    • A loaf of carrot cake cut with a couple of slices in the front.
      Carrot Cake Loaf With Zesty Citrus Glaze
    • Lavender Lemonade
    • Sautéed Garlic Scapes with squeezed lime
      Sautéed Garlic Scapes with Smoked Sea Salt and Lime

    Popular Posts

    • A small bowl of spicy sushi mayo with a spoon.
      Japanese Spicy Mayo (For Sushi, Poke, And Beyond)
    • pouring vegan oyster sauce into a glass jar
      Vegan Oyster Sauce Recipe
    • What Goes With Spinach?
    • A short glass of overnight chia seed pudding topped with fresh fig slices and dukkah seasoning.
      Overnight Chia Seed Pudding

    Footer

    Get Started

    Capsule Pantry
    Cooking Basics
    Ingredient Pairings
    Substitutes

    Explore By Seasons

    Fall Recipes
    Winter Recipes
    Spring Recipes
    Summer Recipes

    Connect

    About
    Contact
    Subscribe
    Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Privacy policy. Disclaimer. Copyright © 2022 A Nourishing Plate LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.