Spiced Poached Pear Trifle

Celebrate the season with espresso, spice and the rich depth of the traditional Parisian Essence. This layered trifle of poached pears, chocolate sponge, custard and Chantilly cream brings a luxurious twist to Christmas menus—elegant, indulgent, and unmistakably festive.

Recipe by Queen Professional Brand Ambassador & Pastry Chef Angelica Iuliano

Prep

35 minutes

Cook

1 hour 20 minutes, plus refrigeration and cooling

Portions

6-8 serves

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Poached Pears

(Prep: 10 min. Cook: 15-20 minutes, plus cooling.)

4 pears
4 tbsp Queen Professional Parisian Essence
100ml water
500ml espresso
70g brown sugar
100ml Queen Professional 100% Pure Canadian Maple Syrup
1 star anise
1 cinnamon quill
1 Queen Professional Vanilla Bean Pod, sliced and seeded

Chocolate Sponge

(Prep: 15 minutes, Cook: 45 minutes, plus cooling)

220g plain flour
75g cocoa powder
1.5 tsp bicarbonate
1 tsp baking powder
350g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
240ml buttermilk
120ml vegetable oil
240ml hot water
1 tsp Queen Professional Natural Organic Vanilla Extract

Custard

(Prep: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling)

1L milk
250g caster sugar
100g cornflour
4 egg tolks
1 tbsp Queen Professional Vanilla Bean Paste
1 tbsp Queen Professional Parisian Essence

Chantilly

(Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 5-10 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration)

500g cream
200g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp Queen Professional Vanilla Bean Paste

  1. Peel pears, slice in half lengthways, and remove cores. Place remaining ingredients for the poached pear in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the pear slices into the liquid, and reduce hear to a slow simmer. Cover this with a cartouche and cook for 15-20 minutes until slightly firm. Cool pears in syrup, then strain and reserve the syrup. Cut the pears into chunks.
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 180° fan-forced. Sift the dry ingredients for the chocolate sponge together. Mix all the wet ingredients (except hot water), and combine with sifted dry ingredients. Slowly add in the hot water and mix well. Pour this mixture into a lined tine and bake for 35-40 minutes, and tear into chunks once cooled completely.
  3. Place the milk, vanilla bean paste and Parisian essence into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a bowl, mix together the sugar and cornflour, make a well in the middle and add in the yolks. Pour half of the hot liquid over the eggs and whisk until smooth. Place egg mixture back into the saucepan and on low heat, whisk and stir until bubbles begin to appear. Once bubbling, remove from heat and pour this mixture in a bowl and allow to cool with a cling film on top (To prevent skimming.)
  4. Place Chantilly ingredients together in a mixing bowl on a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until thick.
  5. Assembly & Garnish- Layer chunks of poached pear, syrup-brushed chocolate sponge, custard, and Chantilly cream in a glass bowl, refrigerate for 12–24 hours to allow flavours to infuse, and finish with a garnish of shaved chocolate before serving

Products used in this recipe

Parisian Essence 500 mL

1-96-000212

100% pure Maple Syrup

100% Pure Canadian Maple Syrup 1 L

1-96-000345

Vanilla Bean Pods 10 Pack

1-96-000537

Natural Concentrated Vanilla Extract 500 mL

1-96-000247

Organic Vanilla Bean Paste with Vanilla Seeds 320 g

1-96-000264

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