Spiced Poached Pears in Pastry

Crispy, soft, and spiced; a simple dessert that feels like it came straight from a bakery window.
These poached pears are wrapped in buttery puff pastry with a crunchy walnut filling. A dessert that looks fancy but comes together surprisingly easily.

Ingredients

For the pears:
- 3 pears
- 750g water
- 200g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla (or 1 pod)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 star anise2 cinnamon sticks

For the filling:

- 40g chopped walnuts
- 20g honey
- A pinch of cinnamon
- A little orange zest

Plus:
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- Optional: a little extra sugar for sprinkling, mint leaves, and icing sugar for dusting

Method

1- Make the syrup – In a pot, combine water, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, star anise, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil.

2- Poach the pears – Peel, halve, and core the pears. Add them to the syrup and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Test with a toothpick — if it slides in easily, they’re ready.

3- Cool and fill – Carefully remove the pears and drain on paper towels. Mix the walnuts, honey, cinnamon, and orange zest, then fill each pear half with the mixture.

4- Prepare the pastry – Cut the puff pastry into six rectangles. Place a pear half in the centre of each and make a light cut around its shape. Brush with some of the poaching syrup and sprinkle with sugar if you like.

5- Bake – Bake at 180°C for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden.

6- Finish and serve – Add a mint leaf and dust lightly with icing sugar.