Recipe for slow cooker chai-spiced pear sauce {vegan}

When I was a little girl, my maternal grandparents, the ones who owned a wholesale toy business (lucky me!), lived in a small brick rowhouse in Brooklyn. I loved two things about that house: the garage where my grandfather would park his car, leaving the trunk unlocked so we could paw through the toy samples on our Sunday visits; and the pear tree in the tiny back yard. I'm still partial to the pear sauce my grandmother used to make, with a just hint of cinnamon. Had she owned a slow cooker, I think Grandma might have liked this chai-spiced pear sauce, too. The warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves) transform pears, which are often a bit bland unless they are perfectly ripe, into a sophisticated version of the ultimate comfort food. On its own or topped with vanilla ice cream, this pear sauce makes a classy dessert or afterschool snack.

Slow cooker chai-spiced pear sauce

From the pantry, you'll need: lemon, sweetener or brown sugar, cinnamon stick, pure vanilla extract, powdered ginger, ground cardamom, ground cloves, cooking spray.

Recipe adapted from this recipe for pear applesauce on Oh My Veggies. Makes 2 cups of pear sauce.

Ingredients

6 large meaty pears (I like Bartletts)
Cooking spray
2 two-inch pieces of lemon zest
1 packet Stevia-in-the-Raw or 2 tsp brown sugar
1 small cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 heaping tsp each: powdered ginger, ground cardamom and ground cloves

Directions

Peel and core the pears, and cut into 1-inch chunks. Spray the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, and add the pears along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Cook on LOW for 5-1/2 hours.

Uncover the slow cooker and use a wooden spoon to smash the pears to the desired consistency. If you prefer a very smooth sauce, remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, and purée the sauce with an immersion blender.

Cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serve hot, or pack into containers, cool completely, and refrigerate.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Grandma's applesauce
Sugar-free maple baked pears
Slow cooker poached pears in caramel sauce
Five-spice applesauce
Quick and easy apple or pear tart

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Chai snickerdoodles, from The Novice Chef
Coconut chai rice pudding, from The Shiksa in the Kitchen
Chai spice glazed doughnut muffins, from My Baking Addiction
Chai shortbread cookies with sea salt, from Foodiecrush
Chai spiced buttermilk pancakes, from Joy the Baker

Slow cooker chai-spiced pear sauce

From the pantry, you'll need: lemon, sweetener or brown sugar, cinnamon stick, pure vanilla extract, powdered ginger, ground cardamom, ground cloves, cooking spray.

Recipe adapted from this recipe for pear applesauce on Oh My Veggies. Makes 2 cups of pear sauce.

Ingredients

6 large meaty pears (I like Bartletts)
Cooking spray
2 two-inch pieces of lemon zest
1 packet Stevia-in-the-Raw or 2 tsp brown sugar
1 small cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 heaping tsp each: powdered ginger, ground cardamom and ground cloves

Directions

Peel and core the pears, and cut into 1-inch chunks. Spray the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, and add the pears along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Cook on LOW for 5-1/2 hours.

Uncover the slow cooker and use a wooden spoon to smash the pears to the desired consistency. If you prefer a very smooth sauce, remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, and purée the sauce with an immersion blender.

Cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serve hot, or pack into containers, cool completely, and refrigerate.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Grandma's applesauce
Sugar-free maple baked pears
Slow cooker poached pears in caramel sauce
Five-spice applesauce
Quick and easy apple or pear tart

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Chai snickerdoodles, from The Novice Chef
Coconut chai rice pudding, from The Shiksa in the Kitchen
Chai spice glazed doughnut muffins, from My Baking Addiction
Chai shortbread cookies with sea salt, from Foodiecrush
Chai spiced buttermilk pancakes, from Joy the Baker

Comments

I've got pears on my mind, too. I'm finally getting around to writing up the pear waffles I made with Low & Slow pear butter from FarmGirl Fare. Next fall, when my CSA farmers' glean the community unloved pear trees, I'm trying this.

Thanks, Lydia!

PS-Polish pottery?

This sounds like something that would go nicely over some Greek yogurt for breakfast too. Love the idea of warm Chai spices and using the crockpot to make this sauce.

Kirsten, I love pears, and this recipe is a great way to use the pears that aren't as lush as the ones in the Fall. And yes, Polish pottery!

Jeanette, it would be great for breakfast, as a side dish, or a dessert. Very versatile.

I love pears much more than apples, and I bet this is delicious!

Lovely, Lydia. The memories, the recipe, the pottery, the photos, and the possibilities!

Kalyn, I love pears more than apples, too.

Shirley, thank you. I have wonderful memories of that pear tree in my grandparents' back yard.

Am serving this tonight to my book group with their choice of either vanilla bean ice cream or greek yogurt. The smell is absolutely heavenly. It did take considerably longer to cook, though. More like eight hrs, with three of that on high. Perhaps because the pears were not entirely ripe. I think it is going to be quite the hit regardless. Thanks!

Janis, I guess the message is "know thy slow cooker". Mine cooked the pears beautifully in less time, so maybe it has a bit to do with how ripe the pears are, or how small the pieces. Regardless, I'm glad for your feedback, and even more glad that your house is filled with the wonderful aroma of the pears.

First - where was their house? My grandpa owned a house like that in Brooklyn, too.

Second - WOW! This is fabulous! Elegant and tasty.... I could think of so many dessert this would work so beautifully with.

Jamie, Flatbush Ave. Yours?