Asian Spiced Pears

Name: Asian Spiced Pears
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: pears - 1 whole pear per person (bosc, nashi, or whatever kind you like); apples - 1 per person (optional); star anise - 5 peices (may susbsitute with 1 tsp of 5 spice powder); cinnamon - 2 sticks (or 1 tsp ground); vanilla - 1 teaspoon; butter - 1 tablespoon (or use dairy free smart spread); lemon juice - juice of 1 lemon; sugar or sugar alternative - 4 packets of sweet n low (agave, honey, brown sugar); Homemade Coconut Whipping Cream - optional garnish

Published: Feb 8, 2013 · Modified: Feb 5, 2021 by HWC Magazine · 69 Comments

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Asian spiced pears are warm, cozy, delicately sweetened with the aromatics of lovely star anise, cinnamon and vanilla.

Life is short! Lets start with dessert...

Why you are going to love Asian Spiced Pears

While these lovely Asian spiced pears bake in your oven your whole house smells like a gorgeous bouquet of sweet goodness. Unlike other desserts, this one is only delicately sweet and light.

Chinese New Year is a beautiful time of the year in which family and friends gather. Of course when there is a family gathering that always means there needs to be food and lots of it.

Most Chinese dishes are usually stir fried or steamed. Many Chinese dishes are prepared on top of the stove and usually all of the burners are occupied by woks and steamer baskets and such. It can be a little hectic in the kitchen, so that is why this make ahead and pop in the oven easy dessert recipe, is a winner for any gathering.

However, I like Asian spiced pears best because this dish is gluten-free, egg-free, (dairy-free , if you use coconut whipped topping) diabetic friendly, cardiac friendly and even teenagers love it. However, it tastes like you are eating something very sinful and it is not even chocolate.

What is Star Anise and what does it taste like?

Star anise is a spice used in Chinese cooking and other Asian recipes. Star Anise is shaped like a star and has a very distinctive licorice flavoring. If you are going to the Asian markets to buy star anise it is called "Bat gok" in Cantonese and "Ba jiao" in Mandarin. However, if you cannot find whole star anise, don't fret, as you can substitute some 5 spiced Chinese powder in the recipe instead.

You can use any type of pears you like and can even use nashi (Asian pears) or your favorite apples as well. I actually used both pears and apples in my recipe as with my growing teenage boys I did not know if I was going to have enough pears to go around.

If you do not have an oven, you can also make these on top of the stove by first slightly steaming in your wok. Then place a tad of butter in your wok and fry gently on both sides to give a little caramelized glaze to the pears.

My dear friend Joyce commented on Healthy World Cuisine. Joyce mentioned that a dollop of fresh fat-free yogurt instead of whipping topping would be nice if you are watching your fat intake. This is a fantastic idea! I placed a little sugar alternative and a dash of five spiced powder in my fat-free natural yogurt and placed a dollop on top of my Asian spiced pear and it was heavenly. Thank you Joyce and this recipe is for you....

More Delicious Desserts with Fruit

Coconut Rice Pudding with Cardamon Pears

Chinese Pear Dessert Soup

Grilled Nectarines with Coconut Whipped Cream

Easy Peasy Baked Apples

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