Fridge Friend Recipes
Soft Drink Poached Pears recipe
Elegant poached pears with a delicate syrup and gentle sparkle. A simple dessert that looks impressive but is very easy to make.
40 min · Easy · British Jump to method
Ingredients
- 4 Pears
- 500ml Soft drink
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 75g Caster sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
| Nutrition | Per servingEstimated |
|---|---|
| Calories | 188 kcal |
| Protein | 0.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46.5 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Fibre | 4.4 g |
| Sugar | 38.6 g |
| Sodium | 4 mg |
Why this works
A fruit-based dessert that is naturally low in fat and sodium but fairly high in sugar and carbohydrate due to the soft drink and added caster sugar.
Good source of fibre. The pears provide fibre, which supports digestion and may help with satiety.
Contains vitamin C. Pear and lemon zest contribute a modest amount of vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds.
High free sugar content. Most of the sweetness comes from soft drink and added sugar, making this a dessert to enjoy in moderation.
Method
- Peel the pears, leaving the stalks on if possible.
Use a small, sharp peeler and work from stem to base so you take off the skin in long strips without gouging the flesh, which helps the pears keep a neat shape.
- Place the soft drink, cinnamon stick, vanilla extract, caster sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan.
Warm the pan over a low heat at first and stir just until the sugar dissolves; avoid letting the liquid boil at this stage or the flavour can turn flat and the zest bitter.
- Add the pears and bring to a gentle simmer for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally.
Keep the bubbles very small rather than a rolling boil, and turn the pears only with a spoon so the softening sides do not split or bruise.
- Remove the pears and boil the liquid for 5-10 minutes until syrupy.
Watch for the syrup to coat the back of a spoon in a thin sheen; if it darkens much beyond a pale amber, take it off the heat to stop it tasting burnt.
- Spoon the syrup over the pears and serve warm or chilled.
For warm serving, let the pears sit in the syrup for a minute to absorb flavour; for chilled serving, cool them in the liquid first so the surface stays glossy rather than drying out.
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