Shalvi Mohindra
Pastry Chef and Chocolatier
- 4 ½ cups water
- ¼ cup honey
- 4 whole Cloves
- 4 pods of Cardamom (Optional)
- 3 Medium Green or Red Pears, firm-ripe
- 3 Earl Grey Tea bags
- 6 Pistachios crushed, for garnish
- 6 Saffron for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
1. Measure the size of the pot
Before starting, to measure the correct size of the pot, place 3 Pears in the pot that you wish to cook in. The pears should either stand straight or lie down on their sides and the water should cover the pears.
2. Boil water and add tea bags
Once you have selected the correct size of the pot, boil the water then remove from the heat, add tea bags and let the tea steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Add honey, cloves and cardamom and return to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Peel the pears
Meanwhile, peel the pears, leave them whole with their stem intact. Slice 0.5cm off the base, so that they are able to stand upright after they are cooked.
4. Add the poaching liquid
Place the pears in the pot with poaching liquid. If the pears naturally lie on the side that is fine, just remember to keep turning them every 10 minutes. Let the pears cook in the simmering liquid for 30-40 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid so it doesn’t get too low. Adjust the flame accordingly, the poaching liquid should be on simmer.
5. Check the pears
When 30 minutes in, check the pears with a knife and if still firm, keep them for another 10 minutes. If the pears are getting softer, you can remove them from the heat. We need the pears to hold their shape after cooking, while still soft to cut.
6. Transfer to a serving dish
Once the pears are cooked, switch off the heat and carefully remove the pears with tongs and a slotted spoon, and transfer the pears to a serving dish, standing upright.
7. Poaching liquid
Continue cooking for another 20 minutes to reduce the amount of poaching liquid till is has reduced to 1 ½ cup of syrup, then strain the cloves and cardamom.
8. Add syrup and garnish
Pour the syrup over the pears, garnish with crushed pistachios and saffron.
9. Ready to serve
Perfect to serve warm on a chilly winter evening or they can last in the fridge for up to 2 days. Enjoy!
Shalvi has studied Diplome de Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu, New Zealand and now specialises as a chocolatier. She had previously worked as a Chef de Partie for airline catering, creating desserts for first class and business class passengers, and is now working with as a Head chocolatier at Cocoa Wilds, where all the products are freshly made using no preservatives or artificial flavours.
When it comes to current and new recipes, Shalvi is always looking for healthier options, because desserts can still be indulgent and delicious without negatively impacting our health.
This is why Shalvi’s passion is to find and use only the best natural ingredients; an approach and philosophy she also incorporates in her everyday cooking by using fresh, whole foods and avoiding processed foods.
