Tea-Poached Pears with Tapioca Pearls and Satsumas
An elegant dessert featuring pears delicately poached in spiced tea syrup, served with tender tapioca pearls and fresh satsuma segments. The combination of aromatic tea, honey, and warm spices creates a sophisticated and refreshing treat.
Ingredients
- •4 quarts water
- •1 cup large white tapioca pearls
- •4 whole satsumas
- •5 cups water
- •⅔ cup sugar
- •⅓ cup mild honey
- •2 pieces cinnamon sticks
- •2 strips lemon zest
- •2 whole star anise
- •1 bag tea bag
- •4 whole pears
- •1 piece measuring cup
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Bring water to a vigorous boil in a large heavy pot, then add tapioca pearls and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently boil, covered, stirring occasionally, until tapioca pearls are almost transparent, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from heat and stir mixture, then let stand, covered, until liquid is thick and pearls are transparent, about 45 minutes.
165 min
- 2.
Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water, then drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
5 min
- 3.
Cut a round of parchment paper slightly larger than the inside of a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot.
2 min
- 4.
Peel 2 (3- by 1-inch) strips zest from 1 satsuma with a vegetable peeler. Remove any white pith with a sharp knife.
5 min
- 5.
Bring water, sugar, honey, cinnamon, zests, and star anise to a boil in 4- to 5-quart pot over high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Add tea bag and steep, dunking bag a few times, 3 minutes. Squeeze bag and discard.
10 min
- 6.
Meanwhile, peel pears, then quarter lengthwise and core.
10 min
- 7.
Return liquid to a boil over high heat, then add pears in 1 layer and cover surface directly with round of parchment, folding up side against side of pot to seal surface completely. Return to a boil, then cook pears at a bare simmer, turning occasionally, until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let pears steep in liquid, still covered, turning occasionally, until cooled completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
105 min
- 8.
Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a shallow dish, then strain liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve into measuring cup. Discard solids, reserving star anise and cinnamon sticks for garnish if desired.
5 min
- 9.
Pour 1 cup poaching liquid over tapioca, then pour remaining liquid over pears.
2 min
- 10.
Cut off peel, including all white pith, from satsumas with a sharp knife. Cut segments free from membranes, letting them fall into a bowl.
10 min
- 11.
Serve pears with tapioca pearls and poaching liquid spooned around them. Top with satsumas.
5 min
