Amaretto Poached Pears

Poached pears are one of those classic desserts that seem to get reserved for the most special occasions. While they're definitely elegant enough for fancy dinners, they're also easy enough to make as a mid-week treat.

These Amaretto poached pears are juicy and filled with a sweet almond flavor. You don't need any special skills or tools to make them, and it's a great recipe that you can prepare ahead of time.

To make them, we start with making a syrup with amaretto and light brown sugar. We simmer the pears in it until they're tender, then we reduce the liquid to make a delicious syrup for drizzling. Serve the warm pears with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or mascarpone cheese on the side. Incredible!

Feel free to customize your liquid with ginger, vanilla, a cinnamon stick, cloves, or even swap the sugar for honey. These poached pears are perfect around the holidays, or as a light-tasting end to any delicious meal!

What are poached pears?

Poaching pears originated in wine-growing regions of France as a way to consume fruit that was not ripening. This classic french dessert is prepared by gently simmering peeled pears on the stovetop in a simple syrup of sugar and water, often flavored with wine and other spices.

What is Amaretto?

Amaretto is a bittersweet Italian almond-flavored liqueur. It's most often made from apricot kernels, but is also sometimes made from peach stones or almonds. Its name comes from the Italian words amaro which means ‘bitter' and etto meaning ‘little', translating to “little bitter”.

It can be sipped on its own over ice or mixed into cocktails to add sweet, nutty notes. Because of its smooth taste, it's often used in boozy coffee drinks, creamy cocktails, and martinis. It also adds flavor to sweet desserts

Poached pear ingredients

You only need three simple ingredients to make this poached pears recipe. Here's what you need:

• Pears – winter pears are perfect for poaching because they don't ripen the same as they do in the summer. We tend to use bosc pears or anjou pears because they hold their shape when cooked. Avoid bartlett pears because they tend to soften too much.
• Amaretto – any type of Amaretto will work for this recipe. Most Amarettos are moderately priced and widely available.
• Light brown sugar – light brown sugar adds the right amount of sweetness, and a lovely caramel taste to the syrup.

How to make these poached pears

This amaretto poached pear recipe is so elegant and easy to make! It's the perfect light dessert for dinner parties and special occasions through the winter months.

Here's how to make a poached pear in a couple of simple steps:

1. Peel the pears and remove the cores from the bottom using a paring knife.
2. Find the right size pot to fit all the pears, then add the amaretto and brown sugar to make the syrup. Bring it to a boil, add the pears, and simmer until they soften. Remove the pears and set them aside.
3. Now it's time to reduce the liquid to make a delicious syrup. Increase the heat and simmer until it turns into a thick syrup. You'll have about a half cup of liquid left.
4. Serve the pears with a dollop of whipped cream or mascarpone cheese and a drizzle of the amaretto sauce. Yum!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

Make ahead instructions

FAQS

What to serve with poached pears

Enjoy these poached pears for dessert alongside a dollop of freshly whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream.

Because the greatest desserts can acceptably be eaten for breakfast, enjoy leftover poached pears in porridge, stirred into yogurt, with pancakes or waffles, or sliced up on sourdough with some ricotta cheese throughout the holiday season, and beyond!