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Jasmine Green Tea Poached Pears with Honey

By • Updated September 2026
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This elegant poached pear dessert transforms simple seasonal fruit into a stunning dinner party centrepiece using the delicate floral aromatics of jasmine green tea. The gentle, even heat distribution of a quality stainless steel saucepan is essential here—it allows the pears to simmer slowly and uniformly in the fragrant tea syrup without scorching, ensuring they turn beautifully translucent while absorbing every nuance of the jasmine scenting.

Unlike bolder green teas that can sometimes taste bitter when overheated, jasmine tea's floral notes bloom beautifully in a long, slow poach. Conference or Williams pears work best; choose fruit that's just ripe but still firm. The honey-sweetened syrup reduces to a glossy glaze, making this a dessert that looks as impressive as it tastes—perfect for autumn entertaining when British pears are at their peak.

Jasmine Green Tea Poached Pears with Honey
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
ServingsServes 4
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

  • 4 firm, ripe Conference or Williams Pears (approx. 200g each)
  • 750ml Water
  • 3 tbsp Loose-Leaf Jasmine Green Tea (or 4 jasmine tea sachets)
  • 100g Runny Honey (plus extra to drizzle)
  • 1 Lemon (juice only)
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick (optional)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 185
Fat: 0.5g
Sugar: 38g
Protein: 0.8g

Instructions

1
Prepare the Pears: Peel the pears carefully, keeping the stalks intact. Slice a thin disc off the base of each pear so they stand upright. Immediately brush with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
2
Brew the Poaching Syrup: In a large stainless steel saucepan (wide enough to hold all four pears upright in a single layer), bring the water to a simmer. Remove from heat, add the jasmine tea leaves, cover, and steep for 4–5 minutes. Strain out the leaves.
3
Add Sweeteners: Return the tea infusion to the saucepan and stir in the honey, lemon juice, cinnamon stick (if using), and vanilla extract. Heat gently until the honey dissolves completely.
4
Poach the Pears: Place the pears upright in the syrup (they should be mostly submerged). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid slightly ajar and poach for 30–40 minutes, spooning syrup over the tops occasionally, until the pears are tender when pierced with a skewer and beautifully translucent.
5
Reduce the Syrup: Carefully lift the pears out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Increase the heat and boil the poaching liquid for 8–10 minutes until reduced by half and slightly syrupy. Remove the cinnamon stick.
6
Serve: Spoon the warm jasmine syrup over the pears. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with extra honey if desired. These are stunning alongside vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche, and pair beautifully with the delicate notes found in Japanese green teas.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A wide, heavy-based stainless steel saucepan is the key to perfectly poached pears. Stainless steel conducts heat evenly without reactive hotspots, preventing delicate jasmine tea from scorching and allowing the pears to cook uniformly in the fragrant syrup. Its non-reactive surface won't taint the subtle floral notes, and the wide base gives your pears room to sit upright and bathe in the liquid—essential for that stunning translucent finish.

See our stainless steel saucepan picks →

Expert Tip: Choosing Your Pears

Look for pears that are just ripe but still firm—if they're too soft, they'll collapse during poaching. Conference pears hold their shape beautifully and have a lovely honeyed flavour that complements the jasmine perfectly.

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