Poaching Pears

Part 2:  Pear/Nut Tart

Poaching fruit is easy.  Use this technique for poaching any fruit.  Put the fruit on a tart as I am doing or leave the fruit whole with the stem in and stand it up on a plate, drizzled with chocolate or raspberry sauce.  Set it on top of a pool of  luscious Creme Anglaise. There are so many ways to use poached fruit.

Poached Pears
Very cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5 ripe Bartlett pears, about 2 pounds
½ cup of granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 cinnamon stick

Fill a 4-quart saucepan with water and add the lemon juice. Peel, stem, and core the pears (I used a melon baller). Cut them in half lengthwise and set them in the acidulated water. When all the pears are cut, remove enough water so the pears are covered by 1 inch. Add the sugar, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick and stir gently.

Cut a round of parchment paper the same diameter as the sauce pan and cut 8-1 inch holes to vent the steam. Place the parchment over the pears and push it down to submerge it until it is wet. This will keep the pears from rising out of the poaching water. Bring the water to a full boil.

Cover the pan with a lid and remove from the heat. Allow the pears to sit in the liquid until they are completely cooled. When cooled, use a slotted spoon to lift them into a plastic container. Pour the poaching liquid over them, and add the vanilla bean. Cover and refrigerate until needed (up to 5 days ahead).