Recipe

Spiced Chai Poached Pears to Satisfy Your Winter Sweet Tooth Cravings

By Sarah Goldman at University of Pittsburgh

 Chai is one of my favorite things on the planet. I would drink it as a tea, as a latte, as a boxed mix, with a mouse, in a house. The iconic chai flavors go perfectly with poached pears, served up over vanilla ice cream or topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Pull out this recipe for your next fancy dinner party, to impress your family at a holiday gathering, or to satisfy your sweet tooth on a cozy winter night. Most importantly, use this recipe to enjoy chai on a whole new level!

Chai Poached Pears

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
  • Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 chai tea bags
  • 2 peeled pears
  • 3 1-inch diameter disks ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Photo by Sarah Goldman

Step 1

Combine all ingredients besides the pears in a medium saucepan over high heat. Let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes, remove the tea bags, and boil for 5 minutes longer.

Photo by Sarah Goldman

Step 2

Add the pears to the poaching liquid. Bring the heat down to a steady simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.

Photo by Sarah Goldman

Step 3

Remove the pears and bring the sauce back to a boil, allowing it to thicken and become more of a syrup consistency. This can take up to 30 minutes, but it depends on the texture you desire for the sauce.

Photo by Sarah Goldman

Step 4

Serve the pears over your favorite ice cream with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. The second best part of this recipe is that you can save your extra chai syrup to make yourself a homemade, better-than-Starbucks chai tea latte later in the week! Definitely a win-win.