Sage Honey Poached Pears

Gentle poaching is a classic French way to turn ripe fruit into an elegant dessert. Bosc pears simmer in honey with fresh sage, vanilla, and cinnamon, then finish with cool mascarpone and toasted hazelnuts.

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 35 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 265 cal
• 3g protein
• 48g carbs
• 9g fat
• 3g fiber

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Ingredients

• 4 medium ripe Bosc pears
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 8 large fresh sage leaves
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 lemon zest strips
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

Instructions

1. 1Peel the pears carefully, leaving the stems intact if possible. Halve each pear lengthwise and use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the core and seeds, creating a neat cavity.
2. 2In a medium saucepan wide enough to hold the pear halves in a single layer, combine water, honey, sage leaves, split vanilla bean with seeds scraped in, cinnamon stick, lemon zest strips, lemon juice, and salt.
3. 3Bring the poaching liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the honey fully dissolves and the sage begins to perfume the kitchen, about 3–4 minutes.
4. 4Nestle the pear halves cut-side down into the liquid. Reduce heat to low so the liquid barely trembles; cover partially and poach for 18–22 minutes, flipping once halfway, until a paring knife slides through the flesh with almost no resistance.
5. 5Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a shallow serving dish. Raise the heat under the saucepan and simmer the remaining liquid uncovered for 8–10 minutes until it reduces to a glossy, spoon-coating syrup.
6. 6Fish out and discard the sage leaves, cinnamon stick, vanilla pod, and zest strips. Taste the syrup and adjust brightness with an extra squeeze of lemon if needed.
7. 7Spoon the warm sage-honey syrup generously over the pears so it pools in the cavities and the fruit. Let them cool to just warm or room temperature, basting once or twice.
8. 8Dollop a spoonful of mascarpone beside or into each pear half. Finish with a scatter of toasted hazelnuts and an extra drizzle of the reduced syrup just before serving.