Pear compote | Imamother

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 3:57 pm

first time making.

I heard of conference and barlett pears.

which ones?

better to cook them when they are not ripe/hard ?

how much water? how long to cook? how they shouldnt fall to pieces when cooking?

amother

Nectarine

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 4:14 pm

Use green ripe pears. Not overripe but juicy. Peel and cut into strips. Put into a pot and cover with the pears with water. Not a ton of water just to cover the pears. Add 3/4 cup sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer for a half hour. Let cool .

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 5:04 pm

amother Nectarine wrote:

arent all pears green?

what "brand" pears?

have you heard of conference?

frumommy

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 5:34 pm

Just make sure the pears are very firm so they don't fall apart (I did quince this way as one of our "new fruits"). Traditionally you make a syrup from equal parts water and sugar, so however much water you need to cover and equal amount sugar. You can cut the pears (or quince) into nice even-sized pieces so they're ready to eat or if you want a fancy presentation you can peel them but keep them whole and serve them one per person in a nice bowl with the syrup and a sprig of mint to look like the pear leaves (totally optional).
Additionally you can poach them in equal parts wine and sugar, adding a cinnamon stick to the pot (or ground cinnamon) and when the liquid has cooled it's really nice to add a teaspoon of vanilla (whether to the regular syrup or the mulled wine version). Hope it works out nicely for you. Shana nova!
(left over syrup makes a nice "tea" sense too -- just add hot water.)

amother

Gardenia ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:40 pm

amother OP wrote:

arent all pears green?

what "brand" pears?

have you heard of conference?

I never heard of conference pears. I don’t think they sell them where I live. We have comice pears that are mostly green, and Bosc pears that are brown. I like to use the brown Bosc pears for cooking but I sometimes buy the yellowish green pears if I can’t get those. Pears don’t fall apart when cooking like some types of apples do. Peel, cut them in half and take out the core. Put them in a big flat pot with barely enough water to cover. You can use water or half sweet wine and half water. Add a quarter cup each of honey and sugar and a cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for between half hour and an hour until the pears are soft. Depending on the kind of pears you use it can take longer until they get soft.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:54 pm

I dont like to use sugar in compote,

with other fruits that I anyway blend I cook for very long and the sweetness comes out but with pears I want proper pieces.

will they fall apart if I cook 2 hrs?

I also like to buy ripe fruit cos naturally ripened tastes better but again if I dont want them to fall apart with longer cooking I guess I will have to get hard raw?

amother

↑ Gardenia ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 7:03 pm

amother OP wrote:

If you buy hard pears and cook them without sugar they’ll taste terrible.
Buy sweet pears and simmer them slowly but don’t cook them for more than hour.
They won’t necessarily fall apart but they’ll get a mushy unappetizing texture if they cook too long.
If you can get brown Bosc pears those are sweet and will taste good even if you add no sugar.
Drizzle a tablespoon or two of honey over them as they’re cooking or add a tablespoon of vanilla sugar. You don’t need to use huge amounts of sugar but a little can make a difference.
Sweet red wine adds a good flavor and a pretty color. The alcohol dissipates when you cook it so you don’t have to worry about that.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 7:03 pm

happy12 wrote:

I use bartlet pears. Cut in pieces. Water to cover. I cook them until they are a little soft but still firm. No sugar or additives. Its delicious just cooked.

how long approx do you cook?

are the underipe before cooking?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 7:10 pm

amother Gardenia wrote:

so you are saying that under ripe pears are not sweet in any case no matter how long I cook, I will have to add sugar,

the best option is normal firm ripe and cook for shorter so there is the natural sweetness and retains shape.

amother

↑ Gardenia

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 7:27 pm

amother OP wrote:

That’s what I’m saying Smile

Ruchi ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 8:53 pm

amother OP wrote:

I core and cut in half. Cook in in a wide pot with water filled under halfway. After bringing to the boil, lower flame and leave to cook for 25 minutes. Comes out perfect. I use Italian Williams pears (bartlett) no need to add sugar as they are naturally sweet and tasty.

ETA Pears should be firm with a slightsoft touch, not hard or unripe.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 8:57 pm

Ruchi wrote:

thanks.

how do you core?

I just cut 2 pieces away from the core.

where do you get the pears from? local greengrocer?

dena613

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 9:00 pm

Use ripe, sweet pears. Cut up. Put in pan. Add cinnamon sticks or heavily sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake covered until all soft.
No need to add water or sugar. It produces its own syrup.

↑ Ruchi ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 9:16 pm

amother OP wrote:

thanks.

how do you core?

I just cut 2 pieces away from the core.

where do you get the pears from? local greengrocer?

I use a wide corer tool. Then cut off the neck (gobble it up) so that it look neat like the canned pears.

I'm in the UK. I get them in person from Marks & Spencer or online via Ocado. The current seasons batch, is from Italy. They are the best.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 3:41 am

Ruchi wrote:

https://www.ocado.com/products.....88011

these?

is this not considered expensive?

↑ Ruchi ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 5:52 am

amother OP wrote:

https://www.ocado.com/products/m-s-green-williams-pears-perfectly-ripe-517788011

these?

is this not considered expensive?

Yes. But lekovod Shabbos/Yom Tov we buy the best.
Hashem repays for honouring the Shabbos.

The Italian season doesn't last too long. After that it's from Argentina/ South Africa and absolutely not worth to buy tastewise.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 6:21 am

Ruchi wrote:

thanks for all this info!

I need further guidance.

how much per how big pot?

I dont see it says origin on the ocado site?

how much longer are they italian?

can you not get them anywhere else?

any other type of pears which are good?

thanks loads!!!

↑ Ruchi ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 6:33 am

[quote="amother OP"

how much per how big pot? I usually cook 20 pears at a time and use an 8 quart pot wide pot

I dont see it says origin on the ocado site? They don't write the origin ever, which is a pity.

how much longer are they italian? Sometimes if you're lucky, until December.

can you not get them anywhere else? You can try asking your local greengrocer if he stocks them and if yes, where they are from.

any other type of pears which are good? Otherwise, I use well ripened conference pears. Mostly though, I make apple and strawberry compote.

[/quote]