Chai-spiced poached pears with butterscotch coffee sauce

Here’s a recipe for a delicious dessert that’s sweet, a little spicy and a little caffeinated! What more could you ask for?

(Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

• 375ml chai tea*
• 60g sugar
• 2 strips orange peel
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 star anise
• 5 black peppercorns
• 6 pears

FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH COFFEE SAUCE

• 75g castor sugar
• 40g butter
• 15ml espresso coffee
• 275ml thick cream

TO SERVE

• Whipped cream, crème fraiche or ice cream

1. Place the water, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, star anise and peppercorns in a pot, just big enough to hold the pears.

2. Bring to the boil, and stir, until the sugar dissolves.

3. Peel the pears and add them to the infused sugar water. Reduce the heat to simmer and poach gently, for 10–15 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the pears.

4. Allow to cool and keep the pears chilled in the liquid, until ready to serve.

5. To make the butterscotch coffee sauce, place the sugar in a pot with 15ml water. Heat gently, swirling the pan. Do not stir until the sugar dissolves. Once it has, keep it on the heat until the colour changes to a dark golden caramel colour.

5. Rapidly, stir in the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the coffee and the cream.

Cook over a low heat for 2–3 minutes.

6. Remove the pears from the liquid and serve with some of the butterscotch sauce and whipped crème, crème fraiche or ice cream if desired.

7. Serve warm, or at room temperature with the pears. It’ is also delicious served with apple pie and ice cream, or just poured over ice cream.

*COOK’S NOTE You can replace the chai with vanilla tea, or even use plain water.

SEE MORE: Pear and phyllo pastry milk tart

Pear and phyllo pastry milk tart

 

Feature image: inspiredtaste.com