Woden Mead

Cherry Mead Poached Pears with Honey and Almond Crumble

Elegant, rich, and gently spiced.

This dessert brings together tender pears, dark cherry mead, and a golden almond crumble in a way that feels both classic and quietly indulgent. Woden Cherry Mead gives the poaching liquid its depth, colour, and gentle fruit character, while the honey and almonds round everything out with warmth and texture.

Serves4
Prep20 mins
Cook40 mins
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

For the poached pears

  • 4 ripe but firm pears, peeled
  • 500ml Woden Cherry Mead
  • 125ml water
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 to 4 whole cloves
  • Zest of 1 orange

For the almond crumble

  • 60g plain flour
  • 60g rolled oats
  • 45g brown sugar
  • 35g sliced almonds
  • 60g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

To serve

  • 60ml honey, warmed for drizzling
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional

Featured Mead

Woden Cherry Mead bottle

Woden Cherry Mead

Rich, dark, and gently honeyed, Cherry Mead brings depth and fruit to this dessert without making it feel heavy.

Shop Cherry Mead

In the pan

Pears poaching in Cherry Mead
Prep
  • Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact if you want a cleaner final look.
  • Zest the orange.
  • Measure out the mead, water, sugar, and spices.
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C for the crumble.
Cook
  • In a large saucepan, combine the Cherry Mead, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange zest.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat.
  • Add the pears and poach for 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender but still holding their shape.
  • Remove the pears and set aside.
  • Boil the poaching liquid for 10 to 15 minutes until reduced to a syrup.
  • For the crumble, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, almonds, and cinnamon in a bowl.
  • Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Spread onto a lined tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden.
Assemble
  • Place a poached pear onto each plate or bowl.
  • Spoon over a little of the reduced Cherry Mead syrup.
  • Add the almond crumble around the pear.
  • Finish with a drizzle of warm honey.
  • Add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if using, then serve.
Cherry Mead poached pears with honey and almond crumble

Serving Notes

This dessert works best when the pears are soft but not collapsing and the syrup has enough body to coat the plate. The crumble adds contrast, so it is worth keeping it crisp and adding it just before serving.

Pair With

A glass of Woden Cherry Mead works naturally here, carrying the fruit through the dish while keeping the finish smooth and rounded.

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