Pears in Maple Syrup Recipe

Poaching a pear is one of the simplest and elegant desserts around. Poaching pears is ideal for using up an excess of fruit after you have brought home too many pears from the grocery or farmer's market. Pears are easy to poach and once cooked can be served with ice cream, a cookie, sliced brownies or cake, whipped cream or even a little dollop of sweetened goat chevre or mascarpone cheese. Try left over poached pears with granola and cottage cheese for breakfast. Yum!

Pears are typically poached in wine, liquer, water with lemon or vanilla or even a combination of the above. Sometimes other dried fruits like raisins or figs are added to intensify the flavor. Poaching can improve the flavor of a pear and typically hard fruit works better than a soft pear because soft ones fall apart when poached. Choose from Bosc, Winter Nellis or Conference pears for poaching.

Maple syrup is a no nonsense addition to poaching pears. Maple syrup is a staple that American Indians gave to the pilgrims when they settled in Plymouth, MA. Maple syrup is loaded with vitamins and nutrients not found in sugar. Maple syrup has potassuim, maganese, zinc and calcium. It is easy to cook with and a beautiful addition to fruit.

You may follow the recipe above but cook the pears whole. Peel them and core them. Cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until tender and serve them immediately upright on the serving plate. Garnish with additional maple syrup and nutmeg.