SEASONS GREETINGS!! What can I say, I love pears! They are an ingredient that is often overlooked this time of year, and although their flavor is subtle, they can add depth to your favorite holiday beverages.
Here we are going to explore how to take this simple ingredient, refine it down with some simple spices and create a BEAUTIFUL reduction that you can put into your favorite holiday cocktails and Non-Alcoholic beverages for all your occasions.
Start with some spices! Pear blends well with those favorite holiday spices such as Star Anise, Cinnamon and Clove. For this recipe, gather about 4 sticks of cinnamon, 1 whole Star Anise, and 5 whole cloves. If you like to use these spices in other applications, I’ve found its far more cost effective to buy them from a restaurant supply (Smart Food service, formerly Cash & Carry) in a larger amount than your traditional grocery store. Gather your spices, and feel free to add your own additions!
NEXT: PICK YOUR PEARS! I chose Bosc Pears as they are subtle but have a nice tartness to them. Choose pears that aren’t too soft. I’ve found that when you allow pears to soften, the sugars take over and the brightness of the pears are lost. If you have some pears about to spoil, use them, but you are going to have a end result that is much sweeter. I chose about 8 Pears for this recipe that I skinned, cut, cored and cubed.
Now is where the magic happens, add the cubed pairs, your spices and 10 cups of water to a pan and start to boil. You are going to be amazed at the smells this will fill your house with! Once you get the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a while.. this is where you get to enjoy the smells of your concoction. Simmer for 30-45 minutes. If the pears start breaking down into mush, pull it off. Your main goal here is to extract the pear flavor without reducing into a slop. You want to cook the pears until they are soft enough to mash without much effort. If your water is boiling out before this happens, add about 1 cup of water at a time.
Once you reach a brown color of liquid in the pan and it tastes of pear, remove the mixture from heat.
Let the mixture cool with everything in the pan, and refrigerate overnight with proper ventilation in the vessel.
Strain the mixture the next day through a fine mesh strainer or some cheese cloth. Don’t stress on getting every piece of pear pulp out, but if you want a smoother beverage you want to get all the solids out. I use a cheesecloth doubled up, laid into a household strainer and pour the mixture through.
Now what you have is a pear juice reduction- In order to make a mixable concentrate you’ll want to combine with a sweetening agent. For this I make a 1:1 brown sugar simple syrup infused with cinnamon sticks, which you will blend a little bit with the pear juice reduction.
Included in this article is the complete recipes for the pear juice reduction and the 1:1 brown sugar simple syrup. Add this wonderful ingredient to hot tea, hot toddy’s or your favorite cocktail. Enjoy your holiday pear reduction, and look for future posts with beverages using these ingredients. Holiday Cheers!
Pear Reduction:
8 Pears- Peeled, cored, and quartered
10 cups of water
4 whole cinnamon sticks
1 whole star Anise, crushed
5 whole cloves
Combine in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Or until the pears begin to soften and break down.)
Cool- off burner, and refrigerate overnight. Strain the next day and set aside.
PREPARE YOUR BROWN SUGAR CINNAMON SYRUP:
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup: (makes enough to have extra)
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups water
6 cinnamon sticks.
Combine all ingredients, simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 20 minutes, strain out cinnamon sticks, and store refrigerated.
FINAL PEAR / CINNAMON REDUCTION RECIPE:
Use 4 parts pear juice reduction to every 1 part cinnamon syrup. Blend as needed and store refrigerated.
Yay!! Now you have the perfect ingredient to add to any holiday cocktail or beverage without a bunch of gathering ingredients before your party!
