Poached pear in cardamom coffee syrup

Would you not love a dessert which is simple to make yet surrounded by layers of complex flavors and packed with oodles of goodness ? Well , this slow poached pear bathed in glorious spoonful's of cardamom & coffee syrup is just that and much more . I particularly fancy doing poached fruit as a dessert centerpiece as it needs the least amount of effort in terms of preparation or ' cook time' and adds maximum amount of the magic to the happy ending. Also , the final look of the dish is super stylish , making it something you would love to show off to your guests .

If you read up on French desserts , you will see that wine poached pears are a classic - also , in my opinion , very underrated . While I do poach a lot of fruit with wine , in this recipe , I have made some changes and stewed the fruit in a concoction of instant coffee and a bunch of aromatics . Going the health conscious way , I also chose to pair my version with home made fresh ricotta. Incase you are your indulgent best, feel free to dig in with some honey dressed mascarpone or coffee ice cream .

Things you will need ( Makes 02 adult portions )

• 02 firm pears , peeled with stems intact

• 02 tsp. instant coffee

• 03 cardamom pods

• 02 whole cinnamon sticks

• o2 whole star anise

• 01 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

• 02 cups of water

• 01 cup of home made ricotta , for serving

• Salt

Directions :

• In a saucepan , bring water to a simmer along with 03 cardamom pods , cinnamon sticks ,star anise , coffee powder and half of the sugar . Bring this to a boil.

• Once boiling , lower the heat and add in the pears . Do not overcrowd the pan .

• Simmer the pears for about 30 minutes on medium low or until the pears are tender

• Remove the pears & set aside on a plate.

• Continue reducing the poaching liquid - add in the remaining sugar and simmer it till a syrup like consistency. Keep aside.

• To serve , place the fresh ricotta on a plate and set the pear on top - generously drizzle with the reduced coffee - cardamom syrup. Dust with some icing sugar and a miniscule of salt to serve .