Poaching pears in tea is an old trick that turns a few firm pears into a quietly elegant pudding. Rooibos is ideal for it: naturally sweet and woody, with no caffeine or bitterness to turn the syrup harsh, and a cinnamon stick alongside makes it warmly spiced. The pears take on a soft amber colour and a gentle fruitiness as they simmer. Serve them warm with cream, or chilled on their own.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Rooibos Poached Pears recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/rooibos/rooibos-poached-pears-3/
You'll need
- 3 tea bags of Tropical Sun Rooibos and Strawberry
- 500ml freshly drawn water at 100C, just off the boil
- 4 small ripe Conference pears, peeled, cored from the bottom, stems intact
- 70g caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 7cm)
- 1 medium saucepan with lid
- 1 small saucer for covering the steep
- 4 small 150ml shallow dishes
Method
- Steep the 3 tea bags in 500ml just-boiled water for seven minutes under a saucer, then lift them out.
- Pour the brew into a saucepan with the sugar and cinnamon stick, and warm gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Stand the peeled pears upright in the syrup, put the lid on, and simmer gently for twenty-five minutes, turning them once halfway.
- Take off the heat and let the pears cool in the syrup for ten minutes.
- Lift the pears into dishes, then reduce the syrup over a higher heat for about five minutes until slightly thickened.
- Spoon the syrup over the pears and serve warm or chilled.
- Tip: slice a thin sliver off each pear's base so it stands upright and poaches evenly.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Tropical Sun Rooibos and Strawberry, 20 Tea Bags 40g
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