Poached Pears with Creme Anglaise

Directions
Preparation:20min  ›  Cook:30min  ›  Ready in:50min 

1. Peel the skin off the pears using a small knife or ordinary vegetable peeler; make sure all the outer skin is removed. Keep the stem in tact for presentation
2. Core the pears using a corer to remove the inner seeds
3. Poaching Liquid: In a large saucepan add the water then heat on high. Add in the cinnamon, juniper berries and clove then allow the water to boil. Add in the sugar.
4. Once the poaching liquid is bubbling place in the pears. Allow them to poach in the poaching liquid until they become soft; check them occasionally every few minutes
5. Crème Anglaise: Separate the yolks from the whites of the egg, then add in the caster sugar. Beat with a small whisk or a fork.
6. Add the milk into a medium sized saucepan until almost boiling, then allow it to cool down for a minute.
7. Add the milk into the blended yolk and sugar mixture, once it is all mixed together, place back into the saucepan on a medium to high heat.
8. Constantly stir the crème making sure it does not split. Once it has become slightly thickened the crème is ready.
9. To Serve: Using a small knife cut the bases on the pear diagonally to look presentable, this will cause the base of the pears to fan out
10. Pour over the Crème Anglaise. Serve hot or cold.

Tip

- Heating the crème too high could cause it to split; make sure it is stirred to avoid splitting of the crème. If it splits it will need to be made again.

- Don't cut the pears too far up when cutting the bases of them diagonally; you will only need to cut diagonally gently otherwise chunks will fall off due to them being soft.

- The poaching liquid can be kept for future needs.

- This recipe goes well with ice cream or whipped cream.