I'm going to let you in on a secret - I hate Chai tea. I know, in the day of suave millennials enjoying spicy black tea in various forms, I just can't stand it! However, I am in the minority, and with a gaggle of coworkers who regularly drink Chai in the winter months I knew I had to make something for their Christmas baskets that they would appreciate.
Last year when I made these the first time, I had come into a glut of almost-overripe Asian pears thanks to a super-sale at the local Asian market. I had made carrot cake with some of them (using shredded pear in place of the pineapple) but was interested in seeing if they could be preserved too. I came across a recipe that looked promising by Jo Ebisujima and figured I'd give it a shot, swapping out the water for a strong mug of Chai. It worked, sort of - the flavour was good (the pears did something to mellow the Chai-ness) but the pears don't break down like "normal" pears and thus didn't create a jammy consistency. However, the syrup and infused, tender fruit was too good to pass up, so a quick re-branding later and I had four jars of a perfect fruit topping. My coworkers told me that it was fantastic on everything from ice cream to oatmeal, and one of them even ate it with a spoon straight up!
If you're looking for a unique preserve to add to your pantry, give these syrupy Asian pears a try. Versatile and darn delicious, it's hard to go wrong!
Asian Pears in Chai Syrup
Makes ~4 cups
1 kg peeled and roughly chopped firm Asian pears (I used the pale skinned ones)
zest and juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup juice)
300 mL strong-brewed Chai tea
500 g sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Combine the pears, lemon juice and zest, and tea in a pot and bring to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes until the pears are beginning to soften and the liquid is reduced.
- Add the sugar and spices and continue to simmer, stirring often, for 20 minutes.
- Can 15 minutes in a waterbath.
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