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Poached Pears with Star Anise, Vanilla & Warm Spice Syrup

Tender pears bathed in a spiced syrup of star anise, vanilla, and cinnamon — served warm or chilled with softly whipped mascarpone or coconut cream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cool time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 1 pear per person (halved or whole)
Calories 120kcal

Ingredients

  • Poached Pears
  • 4 firm-ripe pears Bosc or Anjou work beautifully
  • 2½ cups filtered water
  • 2 –3 tbsp Swerve Granular allulose, or monkfruit sweetener (adjust to taste)
  • 3 –4 whole star anise pods
  • ½ vanilla bean split (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Optional Cream
  • ½ cup mascarpone whipped coconut cream, or plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract or syrup from the poaching liquid
  • Sweetener to taste
  • Garnish Ideas
  • Pomegranate arils
  • Toasted chopped hazelnuts or pistachios
  • A single star anise pod for visual finish
  • Fresh rosemary tip or edible gold leaf for luxe presentation

Instructions

  • Poach the Pears
  • Peel pears and cut in half or keep whole, depending on your presentation style. Core if halved.
  • In a saucepan, combine water, sweetener, star anise, cinnamon, vanilla bean (or extract), and lemon juice.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Add pears and poach gently 25–30 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender but not falling apart.
  • Make the Syrup
  • Remove pears with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Raise heat and reduce the poaching liquid 10–12 minutes until slightly thickened into a syrup.
  • Strain and discard spices if a smooth finish is preferred.
  • Whip the Cream (Optional)
  • Whisk mascarpone or cream until soft peaks form.
  • Sweeten to taste and add vanilla or a spoonful of the reduced syrup.
  • Serve
  • Plate pears warm or chilled with a generous spoon of syrup.
  • Add cream if desired.
  • Finish with pomegranate, toasted nuts, or a single star anise for visual flair.

Notes

Nutritional Estimate (per serving without cream)

  • Calories: ~120
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Carbs: 15 g
    • Fiber: 3 g
    • Sugar Alcohol: 5 g
    • Net Carbs: 7 g
  • Protein: <1 g
Using Swerve or allulose keeps this much lower in sugar than traditional poached fruit, while the pears still offer natural sweetness.

Tips & Notes

  • This dish holds beautifully for make-ahead: refrigerate pears in syrup and reheat gently or serve cold.
  • Leave the skin on if the pears are thin-skinned and organic — the skin helps hold shape during poaching.
  • The reduced syrup also makes a lovely drizzle over roasted squash, panna cotta, or almond cake.