Chai-Poached Pears with White Chocolate Hemp Sauce
Serves 4 with whole pears, 8 with half pears
For the Pears:
4 cups / 1 litre filtered water
¼ cup loose chai, or 3-4 chai teabags
3 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey
4 firm, ripe pears (Bosc are the best for poaching, in my opinion)
1 cup / 100g fresh cranberries
Manitoba Harvest Honey and Oats granola, for garnish if desired
For the White Chocolate Hemp Sauce:
Makes about 1 cup / 250ml
3 ½ Tbsp. / 50g cacao butter
¾ cup / 120g Manitoba Harvest Regenerative hemp seeds
2 ½ Tbsp. maple syrup or honey
seeds of ½ half vanilla bean
1 Tbsp. arrowroot flour
½ cup water, as needed
teeny pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Boil water in a large stockpot, place tea in to steep covered, for at least 15 minutes (the longer the better). Remove tea bags or strain out the leaves. Sweeten tea with honey or maple syrup.
2. Peel 4 pears, slice in half lengthwise and remove the hard core (I used a teaspoon measuring spoon). Slide the pears into the sweetened tea, add the cranberries and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the ripeness and size of the pears.
- While the pears are cooking, make the White Chocolate Hemp Sauce: In a double boiler over medium heat, melt cacao butter. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning / consistency as needed.
- To serve, pour the White Chocolate Hemp Sauce into the centre of each plate. Carefully remove pears from the tea, and place two halves on each plate, followed by a few cranberries. Drizzle more sauce into the hollow centre of each fruit, then garnish with granola, if using. Serve warm. Say thank you and enjoy!
- Store leftovers separately in an airtight glass container in the fridge. If sauce solidifies, simply place the container in a pot full of simmering water to melt it again.
