Description
A quick, elegant holiday dessert featuring tender pears simmered in a glossy, amber glaze of honey, bourbon, and warm spices. This forgiving recipe uses pantry staples and takes less than 25 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
- 4 medium Bosc pears, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes (approx. 1.5 lbs)
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 1/4 cup good quality bourbon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Peel the pears and dice them into uniform 1-inch cubes. Set aside in a bowl.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the honey and bourbon, whisking gently to combine.
- Simmer the honey and bourbon mixture for 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate and flavors to meld.
- Stir in the cinnamon sticks, freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and butter. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture is fragrant.
- Add the diced pears to the saucepan and stir to coat them evenly in the syrup.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes, until the pears are tender but not mushy and the syrup has thickened to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Remove cinnamon sticks if used. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice if desired.
- Serve warm in small glass jars or ramekins, optionally topped with whipped cream, ice cream, or nuts.
Notes
Use firm Bosc pears to prevent them from turning to mush. Let the bourbon simmer for 2 minutes before adding pears to ensure the raw alcohol taste burns off. Freshly grated nutmeg provides significantly better flavor than pre-ground. The dessert tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not freeze as the pears will become mushy upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 36
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 1
Keywords: holiday dessert, spiced pears, honey bourbon syrup, easy dessert, make-ahead dessert, gluten-free dessert, winter recipe, canned pears alternative