Poached Pears with Mincemeat Ice Cream
Poached pears are an old school staple that can be updated in a myriad of ways. They make an easy yet delicious dessert for a relaxed dinner with friends. Here, I've combined with an easy festive ice cream. Alternatively, check out our gingerbread and poached pear loaf cake for a warming winter treat.
Music: Kylie Minogue. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Ingredients:
For the poaching liquor:
-1ltr water
-300g caster sugar
-Zest of 1/2 lemon pared
-Juice 1/2 lemon
-2 cinnamon sticks
-2 star anise
-5 green cardamom pods split open
-1 vanilla pod split or 1tsp good vanilla paste
-8 Comice or Williams Pears (ideally ripe and juicy)
-Vanilla ice cream (a 465ml tub of good quality shop bought will do or make your own)
-Good mincemeat (our traditional recipe works well)
Instructions:
-Combine the poaching ingredients in a pan. Bring to the boil (I used my Electrickit induction), then move to the simmer plate, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar.
-Peel the pears and use a melon baller to remove the core. Pop the pears into the poaching liquor and cover with a cartouche. Simmer gently until soft and cooked through but still holding their shape. This should take around 12-15 minutes but adjust according to the ripeness of the pears. Remove from the pan and submerge in the poaching liquor to cool.
-Soften the ice cream - if you are making homemade, infuse a vanilla ice cream base with some cinnamon.
-Stir through a good dollop of mincemeat - 2 generous dessert spoonfuls. Freeze for 10 minutes to harden a little.
-Slice the base of the cooled pears and fan open. Serve with a quennelle of icecream and a drizzle of the poaching liquor.
