11 of Our Best Pear Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the best pears for baking tarts? ›

With so many varieties available on the market, it can be tough to choose which pears work best for baking. We recommend using Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou pears. These varieties have the highest volume and are widely available in grocery stores year-round.

Poached Pears

Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer the pears until cooked through, 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the pears. While they are poaching, every so often gently push down the pears to make sure they are submerged in poaching liquid. (The round of paper helps to keep the pears moist and wet.)

To bake red pears, simply slice them in half and remove the core. You can drizzle them with a little bit of honey or maple syrup, sprinkle them with cinnamon or nutmeg, and bake them in the oven until they're tender and caramelized.

No need to peel, just slice pears in half and take out the core with a knife or melon baller. This fun fruit is high in fiber – which helps keep you full – and potassium, a powerful player in hydration, muscle and nerve functioning and regulating blood pressure.

Bartlett (or Williams) Pear: This is the perfect choice when you want a really, really juicy pear. Both red and green Bartletts are also among the sweetest pears you'll find. Bosc Pear: These pears are wonderfully crisp, with a delicate sweet flavor that resembles the stereotypical pear taste perfectly.

As with any fruit, the best way to eat a pear is to eat the whole thing. The skin is where most of the nutrients are, particularly the fiber and antioxidants.

Yes, dogs can eat pears. Pears are a great snack because they're high in copper, vitamins C and K, and fiber. If you're sharing pears with your dog, just be sure to cut the pear flesh into bite-size chunks and remove the pit and seeds first, as the seeds contain traces of cyanide.

If planning to use pears uncooked, freeze using juice or water method. Freezing pears using dry packing or in sugar is the best method for pies or other cooked dishes. If planning to use pears in a sweetened jam, jelly, fruit butter, or sauce, try freezing using the juice or water method, but choose unsweetened juice.

Just-picked or purchased pears should be ripened at room temperature. On the counter is fine, but keep unripened pears out of the 'fridge. Once ripe, you can store pears in the refrigerator. The cold temperatures will slow the ripening process and they'll keep for 3 to 5 days.

Do pears detox your body? ›

Regular, adequate bowel movements are crucial for the daily removal of toxins through bile and stools. Pears have high water content — this helps keep stools soft and flushes the digestive system of toxins.

What enhances the flavor of pears? A warm spice like cinnamon does the trick. It's especially fantastic combined with the molasses flavor of the brown sugar. Ginger is also delicious!

Comice. Comice pears were originally cultivated in France. They're known as the sweetest pear variety, and are often the variety shipped in gift boxes. Because of this, they're sometimes given the nickname “the Christmas pear.” Comice pears have light green skin with a blush of pinkish red.

Refrigerate ripe pears to keep them fresh.

The temperature of your refrigerator should be set at or below 40 °F (4 °C). If you've cut up your pears, wrap them tightly in a bag or container before refrigerating to limit air exposure.

Bartlett pears (also called Williams) have what most people would consider the true “pear flavor.” Both red and green Bartletts are bell-shaped. You can find them in stores from September through the early months of winter.

Forelle. “Forelle” means “trout” in German, a namesake reflected in this small pear's red-spotted green skin. Firmer and tarter than other varieties, this pear resembles an apple in both taste and texture, great for eating out of hand or sliced with salads, cheese, or a drizzle of honey.

D'Anjou has a firmer texture than Bartlett and won't change color as it ripens (so you have to check the neck). Once it's ripe and ready, it's hard to beat the juicy, sweet and citrus-like flavor of a d'Anjou.

Bosc pears have a more firm, dense flesh than other pear varieties, so they are ideal for use in baking, broiling or poaching. They retain their shape and texture better than other varieties, and their flavor is less likely to be overwhelmed by the use of strong spices like cinnamon, clove or nutmeg.

Texture is a primary factor in choosing pears for cooking. Mostly that comes down to whether the pear is firm or soft, which can be driven by the variety or the degree of ripeness. Seckel and Bosc pears are firmer and can hold their shape, Zaas says.