Recipe Poached Pears

Pears are a great alternate to apples and can be available in the summer and winter. They are great for table presentations and just as easy to cook with. Poaching is cooking in a gently-heated liquid. It’s not just boiling water like poaching eggs. With this method of cooking the liquid can be stock, wine, or another sugar mixture. You can use different types of fruit like pears. Personally I thought it would be pretty to top the bundt cake with poached pears and drizzle with the poaching liquid over top! The French word for this is “Frissonne”, meaning that the liquid should be just hot enough to make the surface shiver.

Ingredients
3 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 bosc pears (peeled)
1 star anise

Directions

Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, and star anise in saucepan over low heat. Cook stirring for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears and cook covered for 15 minutes or until soft. Use a slotted spoon to remove.

Take the liquid in the pot and transfer to a pan and boil high uncovered for 15 minutes until reduced to half.

Drizzle syrup over pears (or bundt cake) and serve

Dessert Professional 22nd Annual Top 10 Pastry Chefs In America

Last night was a great event by Dessert Professional with big name sponsors such as Kitchen Aid. The event was held at La Venue on W. 28th Street. The event honored the top 10 pastry chefs in America! You can imagine how many amazing sweets there was to try. It was great to see pastry chef Jimmy Leclerc of Laduree USA showing off his amazing macaroons. Also among the group was Lisa Bailey of D Bar in Denver/San Diego, Miroslav Uskokovic of Gramercy Tavern in New York, and William Werner of Craftsman & Wolves in San Fransisco. All the winners served amazing sweets so I certainly had to pace myself going from table to table.

Here is the list of winners:

Lisa Bailey- D Bar

Michelle Gayer- Salty Tart

Jimmy Leclerc- Laduree USA

Salvatore Martone- Atelier Joel Robuchon

Maura Metheny- Norman Love Confections

Thomas Raquel- Le Bernardin

Thiago Silva- EMM Group

Miroslav Uskokovic- Gramercy Tavern

William Werner- Craftsman & Wolves

Zac Young- David Burke Group