Tea-Poached Pears with Black Tea Jardin d’Alice Recipe
This recipe showcases the caramel and cherry notes of Jardin d’Alice black tea, paired with Madagascar vanilla and Gâtinais honey. The pears cook gently in the spiced tea infusion, producing a dessert that is light, elegant, and deeply aromatic.
Served with fresh farmhouse fromage blanc and a drizzle of local honey, these tea-poached pears embody the ID2T approach: teas selected for their character, then put to work in the kitchen alongside the finest local ingredients.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pears (Conference or Comice) | 4 | Ripe but firm |
| Jardin d’Alice black tea | 12 g | The aromatic base |
| Water | 1 litre | For the poaching syrup |
| Sugar | 80 g | Adjust to pear sweetness |
| Madagascar vanilla pod | 1 | Seeds + pod |
| Gâtinais honey | 1 tbsp (syrup) + drizzle to serve | |
| Farmhouse fromage blanc | 300 g | For serving |
Find the Jardin d’Alice black tea in the boutique, along with our double-wall glass teapots — ideal for all your tea-based recipes and everyday infusions.
Method
- Make the tea syrup. Bring the water to a gentle boil with the sugar, split vanilla pod and seeds. Remove from heat, add the Jardin d’Alice tea, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain carefully — this fragrant liquid is the aromatic foundation of the dish.
- Poach the pears. Peel the pears, keeping the stem intact. Lower them into the warm tea syrup and poach at a gentle simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. They should be tender but still hold their shape.
- Rest in the syrup. Stir the tablespoon of honey into the warm syrup, then leave the pears to cool directly in the liquid. This is what allows them to absorb the full depth of caramel, cherry, vanilla and honey.
- To serve. Place one pear per plate, add a generous spoonful of fromage blanc, spoon over some of the poaching syrup, and finish with a drizzle of honey. Serve warm or well chilled depending on the season.
André’s note
For a more intense result, leave the pears in their syrup overnight in the fridge. The next day, reduce a portion of the syrup over low heat to obtain a thicker glaze — excellent over fromage blanc, pancakes, or a plain yoghurt cake.
The tea does more than flavour here — it structures the whole dish. A different black tea would give a completely different result. That’s the point.
Storage
Tea-poached pears keep for 48 hours in the fridge, submerged in their syrup. The leftover syrup can be used to soak a cake, sweeten iced tea, or flavour yoghurt.
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