Stuffed Poached Pears with Berry Purée
David Scott Allen · Dessert · Flans, Puddings · Provencal Recipes · TasteIt’s sad to see the end of the summer stone fruit – plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots. However, in their place, a variety of apples and pears indicate the start of new dessert opportunities. This recipe for Stuffed Poached Pears includes an element of surprise. The dessert is easy to prepare and perfect for cool weather dinner parties. You can vary the ingredients in the berry purée and the poaching liquid, depending on tastes and what you have on hand.
Poached Pears with Berry Purée
This recipe can be prepared with any variety of pear that you like. The best is to select fruit that has a large bottom (better for filling with the "surprise"). Prepare the pears and the filling in advance, a day or two ahead of serving.
Ingredients
- 4 small pears around 4-5 oz each
- Poaching Liquid to cover the fruit (see notes)
- 2 tbsp cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 tbsp Lemon Curd
- 4-6 tbsp Berry Purée see notes
- mint leaves with 1/4-inch stems, for garnish
Instructions
- Core the pears leaving the tops, with stems, intact.
- Peel the pears, and place in the poaching liquid.
- Bring them to a boil, reduce heat, then cook at a brisk simmer for 5-10 minutes - depending on ripeness - or until easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
- Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Cover and refrigerate the pears, in their poaching liquid, for several hours. Note: I find it practical to poach the pears 1 or 2 days in advance and store them refrigerated in their poaching liquid.
- Combine the cream cheese and lemon curd and refrigerate, covered, for an hour to firm. This can also be made in advance and kept refrigerated.
- Before dinner guests arrive, remove pears from the poaching liquid, drain, and pat dry with paper towels, including the cavity. Put a tablespoon of the lemon-cheese mixture in each cavity, scraping off any excess that won’t go in. Place the pears, standing on a plate, back in the refrigerator.
- When time to serve, spoon a tablespoon or two of berry purée on a plate and top with a pear.
- Using a small skewer, make a hole in the top near the stem and insert the stem of the mint leaf.
Notes
Poaching Liquid. There are so many variants, the simplest being water and sugar. The liquid may be spiced with cinnamon and ginger, or citrus peel, or flavored with wine. White wine - which is what I used - doesn’t change the color of the pear. Rosé will give them a slight blush, and red wine or port will turn them deep pink or, after sitting in their poaching liquid for a day, dark red. You need to have enough liquid to cover the pears, and for these four, I used about 1/2 cup sugar.
Berry Purée. I use fresh berries whenever I can but frozen berries are convenience an excellent substitute! Use raspberries, or a mixture of berries. Cook the berries with a little sugar and a dash of liqueur, if desired. I use Chambord, Cointreau, Triple Sec, or Amaretto. Simmer for 5 minutes or so (until berries soften - if using blueberries, they should have popped!), then cool and push through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. The longer you cook them, the thicker the purée.
Berry Purée. I use fresh berries whenever I can but frozen berries are convenience an excellent substitute! Use raspberries, or a mixture of berries. Cook the berries with a little sugar and a dash of liqueur, if desired. I use Chambord, Cointreau, Triple Sec, or Amaretto. Simmer for 5 minutes or so (until berries soften - if using blueberries, they should have popped!), then cool and push through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. The longer you cook them, the thicker the purée.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
More Pear Desserts
Sunken Pear Cake inspired by a German kuchen (cake)
Provencal Pears and Chocolate Tart
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Full day Wine Tour with the sommelier-guide and 3 winery visits
Discover one of the most famous red wine-producing areas of France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with this wine tour! You will start the day with the discovery of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its history.
Book this ExperienceLegal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
A Day in Provence with Goût et Voyage en FrancaisNext Post
Christmas in ProvenceRelated Provence Articles
Recipe for a French Classic Tarte Tatin
March 24, 2017
This is a favourite dessert that is often the “Tarte du Jour” at Mas d’Augustine. It can be made with either apples or pears and is delicious served with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. …
Almond Crescents are a Favourite Christmas Cookie
December 12, 2022
These wonderful Christmas crescent cookies have ground almonds mixed into the dough. What better time of the year to enjoy baking and eating these cookies? Almonds have a long history in Provence’s agriculture and cuisine. Many Provencal dessert recipes include almonds, whole or ground into flour. Almonds are one of the principal ingredients for Calissons …
Sweet Recipe Chocolate Lavender Truffles
November 8, 2022
Generally speaking, candy can be tricky to make, but truffles are not that complicated. The recipe below for chocolate lavender truffles comes from the Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm. It is easy to follow and the results are delicious. Serve the truffles for dessert or wrap them in an attractive container to offer as holiday …
Fresh Figs Sweet and Savoury Recipes from Provence
August 18, 2021
Sweet and earthy, the fragrance of a fig tree full of almost ripe fruit is like standing in a pot of jam. The fig tree is known as the Common Fig. It grows both cultivated and wild in most countries that are close to the Mediterranean and in many parts of Asia. Some tree varieties …
No Comment