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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Published: Nov 4, 2021 · Modified: Sep 27, 2022 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 4 Comments

    Spiced Poached Pears (Without Wine)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These spiced poached pears without wine are an indulgent fall dessert, with the sweetness of the pears combining so perfectly with the hints of spice. Easy to make, they are made without alcohol and use spiced apple juice for the syrup instead, which makes them feel like such a treat. A vegan, gluten-free and low histamine dessert.

    spiced poached pears in a grey bowl with a brown rim next to pears and star anise.

    Cardamom has become one of my go-to pantry staples, and it feels rather festive. Much like my cardamom oat cookies and cardamom apple fritters, these poached pears get so much flavour from this pungent spice. Just a tiny pinch can transform both sweet and savoury dishes.

    These easy poached pears without wine dessert is a little twist on the classic, using spices and apple juice. It's so flavourful and fun, and I think kids and adults alike will love it! Serve with a little ice-cream if that works for you!

    Jump to:
    • ⭐ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🍐 Ingredients
    • 📖 Which pears to use?
    • 🔪 Step by step instructions
    • 💭 Recipe tips and notes
    • 📋 Frequently asked questions
    • 🥣 More sweet treats
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ⭐ Why you'll love this recipe

    • Decadent. The combination of the sweet apple juice and spices feels quite special.
    • No alcohol. The pears are poached in apple juice rather than wine, which means they are alcohol-free and suitable for adults and kids alike.
    • Easy to make. It's a very simple recipe, with just a few steps.

    🍐 Ingredients

    You need minimal ingredients for this recipe, and aside from the pears most are pantry staples:

    • Pears: I always use conference pears, but any type should work well as long as they are ripe.
    • Apple juice: used to poach the pears, in place of wine or other alcohol in many recipes.
    • Ginger: I use a piece of fresh ginger, but a touch of ginger powder will also work (it's pungent as powder so only use a little!).
    • Cardamom: another pungent spice, that gives so much flavour.
    • Cinnamon: this is optional if you are following a low histamine diet.
    • Star anise: also optional if low histamine.
    • Pistachios: be sure to use unsalted for this recipe!

    📖 Which pears to use?

    I think any pears would work well with this recipe, but I always use conference pears.

    For poached pears you need to use ripe pears, but avoid using overripe ones as they can turn a bit too mushy after being poached in the apple juice.

    poached pear on a brown plate next to star anise and a spoon.

    🔪 Step by step instructions

    Making these poached pears in apple juice is very simple, and requires just a few steps. Of course, be careful with the syrup as it gets very hot, so use tongs not fingers to remove the pears and the ginger from the pan when serving.

    Step 1

    Peel the pears, but keep the stalk (if they have them) as it looks quite pretty for presentation. Don't worry if you can't fully peel at their tops and bottoms.

    peeled pear on a chopping board.

    Step 2

    Add the peeled pears to a large saucepan with the apple juice, ginger, cardamom and optional cinnamon and star anise. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    Remove the pears from the pan and set aside on a plate.

    Increase the heat of the apple juice mixture so that is on a low boil. Leave to boil for around 15 minutes so that it reduces into a syrup. The longer you leave the juice to boil, the thicker the syrup will be.

    To serve, remove the ginger piece from the syrup (use a spoon or tongs, not fingers!) and then pour over the plated pears.

    pears in apple juice and spices in a saucepan on a stove top.
    apple juice syrup in a pan on a stove top.

    💭 Recipe tips and notes

    • Use ripe pears for the best sweetness and so they soak up the flavours of the apple juice and spices.
    • Reduce the amount of syrup to preference. The longer the cook time the more it will reduce.
    • Be careful when handling the pears after cooking (as well as the syrup). It will get very hot, and we don't want burns!

    📋 Frequently asked questions

    Do pears have to be ripe to poach?

    The pears need to be ripe, but not overripe, so they don't go mushy while poaching in the apple juice. I made this mistake on a recipe test and they tasted great, but didn't have the best texture.

    Can I make the syrup thicker?

    Adjust the cooking time to preference. The syrup will reduce and get thicker the longer you let it boil. Personally I prefer it to be more 'liquid' than thick syrup, but adjust to taste.

    Do I have to use all the spices?

    No, you can easily use those you prefer!

    poached pears in a grey and brown bowl next to star anise.

    🥣 More sweet treats

    Find lots of fun ideas on my desserts page, including my easy apple and pear compote and my quick and very delicious two ingredient mango sorbet. Some recent recipes to try out:

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    I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram and Facebook to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!

    📖 Recipe

    three spiced poached pears in a grey bowl with apple juice syrup.

    Spiced Poached Pears (Without Wine)

    Claire
    These spiced poached pears are made with apple juice, and so without alcohol, for a fun dessert perfect for fall. Vegan, gluten free and low histamine recipe. Makes 4 servings.
    5 from 10 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Party food
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 263 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 large pears
    • 3 cups apple juice
    • 1 cm piece of ginger
    • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
    • 1 star anise optional
    • ¼ cup pistachios crushed

    Instructions
     

    • Peel the pears and add to a large pan with the apple juice, ginger, cardamom and optional cinnamon and star anise. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
    • Remove the pears from the pan, then increase the apple juice mixture to a light boil. Boil for around 15 minutes until the juice reduces and becomes a syrup.
    • Plate the pears and then drizzle on the syrup. Sprinkle with pistachios. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Be very careful when handling the syrup as it gets very hot - use tongs!
    • Reduce the syrup for as long as you wish. The longer it is boiled, the more it will reduce and thicken.
    • Cinnamon and star anise are both debated in terms of histamine, so only use if you know you tolerate well. The pears will still be flavourful without these ingredients.
    • Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
     
    Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine
    All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
    • pears, which score 1.
    • ginger, which scores 1.
    • cinnamon scores 0 but is higher on other lists.
    • star anise is not scored but just has a ?

    Nutrition

    Calories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 541mgFiber: 9gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 81IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deepa says

      July 28, 2022 at 3:22 am

      Can we replace apple juice with water?

      Reply
      • Claire says

        July 28, 2022 at 9:21 am

        Hi Deepa, you could use water in place of apple juice but the pears wouldn't have too much flavour, other than from the spices. It's the juice that give them extra sweetness and flavour.

        Reply
    2. Chrissy says

      March 21, 2022 at 4:19 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious recipe: only one person at the table was on a low histamine diet but EVERYONE asked for more. I’ll be making this again and again mixing it up with various fruits. Thanks Claire for all your amazing recipes

      Reply
      • Claire says

        March 21, 2022 at 9:36 am

        So glad everyone liked it Chrissy! I've been trying it out with different fruits too!

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

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