5-Star Cardamom Panna Cotta with Poached Pears Recipe
This elegant 5-Star Cardamom Panna Cotta with Poached Pears is a smooth, creamy Italian dessert infused with fragrant cardamom and topped with tender, wine-poached pears. It’s a simple yet refined treat, perfect for impressing guests or indulging in a special occasion dessert that’s both easy to prepare and stunning to serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cardamom Panna Cotta:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom (or 6 crushed cardamom pods)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
- 3 tablespoons cold water
For the Poached Pears:
- 2 firm Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, halved, and cored
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (or apple juice for alcohol-free version)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 strip of lemon peel
Instructions
- Bloom the gelatin: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it soak for 5 minutes until softened and bloomed.
- Heat the cream mixture: In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, ground cardamom, and vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling to preserve the smooth texture.
- Incorporate gelatin: Remove the cream mixture from heat and immediately stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved and evenly blended throughout the mixture.
- Strain and chill: Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to strain out any cardamom seeds or clumps. Then, pour the smooth mixture into ramekins or dessert glasses. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until set firmly.
- Prepare the poached pears: In a medium saucepan, combine the dry white wine (or apple juice), sugar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and lemon peel. Bring this spiced liquid to a gentle simmer, then add the peeled, halved, and cored pears. Poach for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pears are tender but still hold their shape.
- Cool and slice: Let the poached pears cool in the poaching liquid to absorb more flavor. Once cooled, slice the pears thinly or dice them according to your preference for serving.
- Assemble and serve: Just before serving, top each set panna cotta with slices of the poached pears. Optionally, drizzle some of the flavorful poaching syrup over the top for an added touch of sweetness and aroma.
Notes
- You can substitute apple juice for white wine to keep this dessert alcohol-free.
- Ensure not to boil the cream mixture to avoid separating the cream and to keep the panna cotta silky.
- Use fresh cardamom pods for a more aromatic and authentic cardamom flavor if available; crush them just before adding.
- Poached pears can be refrigerated separately and added before serving to keep the panna cotta texture intact.
Keywords: Cardamom Panna Cotta, Poached Pears, Elegant Dessert, Italian Dessert, Creamy Dessert, Wine Poached Fruit
