Saffron-Ginger Pears

By David Tanis

Published Sept. 28, 2023

Saffron-Ginger Pears
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
45 minutes, plus overnight cooling
Rating
5(181)
Comments
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For a stellar dessert, poach pears and let them steep in a bright yellow saffron-ginger syrup. With saffron, a little goes a long way: A quarter teaspoon will not break the bank. Prepare these days ahead of serving and store them in their syrup; they’ll only improve in flavor. Served chilled with a dab of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert is sheer luxury.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 6small Bartlett, D’Anjou or Comice pears, slightly underripe
  • 2cups dry white wine
  • 1cup granulated sugar
  • ¼teaspoon crumbled saffron
  • 2thick slices of fresh ginger
  • Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

310 calories; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 52 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 8 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel the pears, leaving stems intact.

  2. Step 2

    Put wine, sugar, saffron and ginger in a stainless-steel saucepan or skillet just large enough to hold the pears in a single layer over high heat. Stir and bring to a boil.

  3. Step 3

    Add pears and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for about 20 minutes (turning occasionally if the pears aren’t fully submerged), until pears are just tender when poked with a skewer or a small, sharp knife. If time permits, allow pears to cool in their syrup in the refrigerator, preferably overnight or for up to several days.

  4. Step 4

    Remove pears from syrup. Simmer syrup down to a thick glaze over brisk heat, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly (about 10 minutes) and pour over pears to serve. Pair with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Ratings

5 out of 5
181 user ratings
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Comments

Elizabeth

For people who worry about the alcohol in the wine. By the time the pears are cooked the alcohol is gone. I cook poached pears a lot in red wine, it’s all syrupy in the end.

amanda

This was truly phenomenal! Don’t change a thing. The effort to taste ratio on this can’t be beat

Mary Ann

Very elegant and easy dessert! Made it a few days before having guests and kept turning the pears in the syrup to keep the color even.

Stephanie

Regarding the wine, it isn't always about having wine in the food, it ca be about having it around your home.

Molly

So easy and so good!

KCMarie

I cut the bottom of the pears flat before I peel them. This helps the pears stand on their own and I used a metal pot instead of a saucepan.

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