With only a few ingredients you’ll be able to whip up this tasty, New Year's Eve-coded dessert in no time
Saffron poached pears are an elegant and delicious dessert to ring in 2026. Best of all, this sweet treat is deceptively simple and efficient to prepare, meaning you can spend more time mingling with guests and sipping champagne and less time toiling away in the kitchen. The secret to getting that extra juicy and flavourful result is to let the pears soak in the poaching liquid until serving.
End 2025 on a sweet note – and impress your loved ones – with these saffron poached pears.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 6 pears (preferably Conference)
- 1 ½ l water
- 15 saffron threads
- 10 crushed cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 2 star anis
- 1 tbsp honey
- 250 g mascarpone
- Almond shavings
Photo: Constance Loeper
Method
- Peel the pears, leaving the stalk intact. Fill a large saucepan with water and combine all the ingredients except the mascarpone and almond shavings. Make sure all the pears are covered with water. Bring to simmer under a lid and gently poach the pears for about two hours or until tender.
- When the pears are ready, remove from the heat and allow them to cool in the refrigerator overnight.
- Before serving, gently remove your pears from the poaching liquid and let drain on paper. In the meantime, whisk the mascarpone to a fluffy cream.
- Serve your golden saffron poached pears with the whipped mascarpone. Add some dry roasted almond shavings for crunchiness.
Photo: Constance Loeper