Saffron Poached Pear with...Saffron Poached Pear with Cardamom Goat Cheese Mousse

An elegant, multi-textured dessert featuring Williams pears poached in a saffron-infused Chardonnay syrup, served over a light cardamom-spiced goat cheese mousse and finished with a buttery pistachio sable crumble.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a medium saucepan, combine the Chardonnay, 200g of sugar, saffron threads, star anise, and the scraped vanilla bean seeds and pod. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

2. 02

   Peel the pears carefully, leaving the stems attached. Slice a thin layer off the bottom of each pear so they can stand upright. Submerge the pears into the simmering poaching liquid.

3. 03

   Cover the pears with a parchment paper cartouche (a round piece of parchment paper with a hole in the center). Simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes, or until the pears are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove from heat and let the pears cool completely in their syrup.

4. 04

   Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). To make the crumble, combine the cold cubed butter, flour, chopped pistachios, remaining 30g of sugar, and a pinch of sea salt in a bowl. Rub the mixture together with your fingertips until a coarse, sandy crumble forms.

5. 05

   Spread the crumble onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Let it cool completely to become crisp.

6. 06

   For the mousse, whip the chilled heavy cream in a bowl to medium peaks. In a separate bowl, beat the goat cheese, honey, and ground cardamom together until completely smooth and creamy. Gently fold the whipped cream into the goat cheese mixture in two batches until light and airy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and chill.

7. 07

   Remove the cooled pears from the syrup. Bring the remaining poaching syrup to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce it by half until it reaches a maple syrup-like consistency. Let cool slightly.

8. 08

   To assemble, pipe a generous ring of the cardamom goat cheese mousse in the center of each dessert plate. Place a poached pear upright in the center of the mousse ring.

9. 09

   Generously scatter the pistachio crumble around the base of the pear. Drizzle the warm, reduced saffron syrup over the pear and around the plate. Garnish with additional saffron threads if desired and serve immediately.