Description
A stress-free, elegant holiday dessert made with canned pears, cinnamon, and vanilla bean. This stovetop-only recipe is gluten-free, customizable, and tastes like it took all day to make.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (15 oz each) light syrup canned pears, halved or sliced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (seeds scraped)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
- Heavy cream or whipped cream, for serving
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
- Crushed pistachios, for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the canned pears and rinse briefly under cold water to remove excess syrup. Pat dry gently with paper towels.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water and brown sugar. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes).
- Add the cinnamon sticks, scraped vanilla bean seeds, vanilla pod, nutmeg, and cardamom to the sugar water. Stir gently and simmer for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Gently add the pears to the saucepan, submerging them in the liquid. Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid breaking the fruit.
- Remove the saucepan from heat. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and vanilla pod.
- Let the pears cool in the syrup for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld and sauce to thicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours if serving cold.
- Spoon the pears into ramekins or bowls. Drizzle with spiced syrup, top with whipped cream or ice cream, and sprinkle with crushed pistachios.
Notes
Canned pears are already cooked, so you are just warming them and infusing flavor. Do not boil vigorously or the pears will become mushy. For best flavor, make this ahead and chill overnight. If using ground cinnamon, add it at the end to prevent cloudiness. If using vanilla extract, add it off-heat to preserve flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin with syrup
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 10
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
Keywords: holiday dessert, canned pears, cinnamon pears, vanilla bean, gluten-free dessert, easy dessert, stovetop dessert, make-ahead dessert