I have been looking forward to making my Homemade Poached Pear Liqueur since the start of pear season. My boozy fruit infused recipe is refreshingly smooth and easy to make. Pears have a pleasing shape, unique mottled skin and a divine flavor. They are the perfect fruit for a mildly sweet tasty concoction that can be enjoyed all year long. So let’s get busy in the distillery!
In my quest of mastering the skills of mixology, I have found that poaching my pears before adding them to the vodka is crucial. Poaching is the gentle, stove top cooking process to release the distinctive and delicate flavor of the fruit. I add a minimal amount of water to prevent the pears from sticking to the pot until they float in their own juices. I have found through my experimentation that ripe Bartlett Pears have the ideal flavor for my liqueur. My fruit is ripe but still firm so it holds its shape and does not disintegrate. Also poaching the pears without removing the skin adds more of their delicate flavor.
Hints of cinnamon and vanilla with lemon and orange zest alongside the poached pears is a heavenly mixture. I usually mix half my batch with simple syrup for those with a sweet tooth. The rest is bottled unsweetened for those who find the fruit intermingled with spices just right for their taste buds.
Homemade Poached Pear Liqueur is a favorite amongst my family and friends. It is an ideal homemade gift so the true challenge may be how much to hide in your closet before the rest disappears like magic!
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Sharing this recipe at Pin Junkie, Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday and Happiness is Homemade.
Poached Pear Liqueur
Ingredients
- 6 pears ripe firm Bartlett, cored and chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 orange zest
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups vodka good quality
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cups water
Instructions
- Cut 6 ripe Bartlett pears into small pieces. Remove stem and seeds. Do not remove skin.
- Add cut pear pieces into pot and add 1/2 cup of water. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes until pears are soft. Do not strain.
- Zest one lemon and one orange.
- Measure 5 cups of vodka, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1 cinnamon stick.
- Add pears with juice, orange and lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon stick and vodka into large jar.
- Cover jar and put in a cool dark location for 8 days.
- Strain mixture into a large jar with cheesecloth over funnel or a fine mesh strainer. You will be left with the alcohol infusion.
- Combine white sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil for one minute to make a simple syrup. Let syrup completely cool. Add syrup slowly to the liqueur infusion to your preferred sweetness.
- Bottle liqueur using a funnel.
- Serve at room temperature.
