This recipe for Jasmine Tea Poached Pears features tender pears infused in a fragrant and aromatic jasmine green tea, making it a light and refreshing dessert.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
What is poaching?
Poaching is a method to cook something in liquid, similar to poached eggs.
Any liquid can be used to poach pears, although wine, sugar syrups and tea are common.
These poached pears are simmered in light, green jasmine tea.
What is jasmine tea?
Jasmine tea is a green tea scented with dried jasmine flowers.
Jasmine flowers are white and turn yellow when dried.
The flowers have a delicate, floral and fragrant aroma, used to scent teas (jasmine milk tea), ice cream, and sorbet.
How to choose fresh pears
Avoid pears that are soft and mushy to the touch -- these are overripe.
Gently press on the pears and if they yield to slight pressure, they are ready to use.
Choose pears that are slightly firm, with smooth skin without any bruises or blemishes.
The color of pears can vary, but generally go from green to yellow as it ripens.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe for Asian-inspired poached pears is a little unconventional as it doesn't use a sugary poaching liquid, making it not too sweet. It relies on the simple natural sweetness of the pear.
If you prefer slightly sweeter poached pears, you can drizzle 1-2 tablespoon simple syrup (or sweetener such as honey or maple syrup) over the pears before serving.
Poaching the pears in jasmine tea infuses the pears lightly with a fragrant aroma.
Separately brewing jasmine tea helps to preserve that strong tea flavor.
It's a light, easy, gluten-free, and dairy-free dessert (omit adding yogurt, cream, etc for the topping).
Ingredients you'll need
For this simple dessert, you'll need:
- firm, ripe Bosc pears: you can leave them whole, or cut them in half, coring out the center
- lemon juice: helps prevent pears from browning/oxidization
- water
- jasmine tea: you can use loose leaf or tea bags; for poaching the pears, as well as serving; iced jasmine tea will be even more refreshing during the summer
- simple syrup
How to poach pears
Wash and peel the pears.
In a small saucepan, add lemon juice, water, jasmine tea (looseleaf or tea bags) and the whole pears (or pear halves).
Cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer over medium heat, about 10-15 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a serving bowl.
Add fresh steeped jasmine tea to the bowl and serve with whipped cream, or yogurt and granola.
Serve with simple syrup.
How to store
Store the poached pears in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days in its poaching tea liquid.
What to serve with poached pears
You can also serve the poached pears with vanilla ice cream, jasmine ice cream or a dollop of crème fraiche.
Try adding sliced tea-poached pears to Swiss roll cake, on top of fluffy pancakes, waffles, cheesecake or any dessert.
Variations
Change up the tea, and try using matcha tea, earl grey tea, or blueberry jasmine tea.
Expert tips
Use a smaller pot and cut the pears in half to cover the pears entirely in the poaching liquid.
If you require more water to cover the pears, add more tea bags.
For softer pears, you can poach it for a little longer, about 20 minutes or until softened to your liking, but be careful not to overcook or it will become mushy.
Other jasmine recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Iced Lavender Blueberry Jasmine Tea
No-Churn Jasmine Tea Ice Cream
Jasmine Sugar Raspberry Doughnuts
Matcha Jasmine Cake with Yuzu Curd
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Jasmine Tea Poached Pears
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Poaching liquid:
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ - 2 C water
- 2 tablespoon loose leaf jasmine tea or 2 tea bags
- 2 large firm Bosc pears cut in halves (or left whole)
To serve:
- 1 C freshly brewed jasmine tea cooled (1 tea bag in ¼ C water per serving, or to your taste)
- 1-2 tablespoon simple syrup to your taste
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add lemon juice, water, jasmine tea (or tea bags) and the whole pears (or pear halves).
- Cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer over medium heat, about 10-15 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a serving bowl.
- Add fresh steeped jasmine tea to the bowl and serve with whipped cream, or yogurt and granola.
- Serve with simple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Neil
I love poached pears so I'm pretty sure I'd love this. That floral infusion of jasmine tea would go so well with the natural sweetness of the pears. What a delightful dessert Michelle!
David @ Spiced
I've made poached pears on occasion, and they've turned out well....but I've never tried them with jasmine tea. The herbal element would pair so well with the pear flavor. Great idea!!
2pots2cook
Beautiful sugar free delicacy for crazy heat we have! Thank you so much!