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4.9 from 39 votes

Spiced caramelized pears {in panela or piloncillo syrup}

Spiced caramelized pears in panela or piloncillo brown sugar syrup, these sweet pear preserves are made with ripe pears, panela or piloncillo (a type of unprocessed brown sugar), ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: South American , Fusion , American , Ecuadorian

Ingredients

  • 4 pears cored and cut in quarters (or halves)
  • 16 ounces 1lb of panela or piloncillo, in a block or grated (if it’s sold grated as “raspadura”)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cloves
  • Additional spices/aromatic flavors based your preference orange peel, vanilla, cardomon, etc

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large pan, combine the water, panela or piloncillo (whole or grated), cinnamon sticks, ginger and cloves. Cook over low heat until the panela or piloncillo has completely dissolved.
  2. Add the quartered/halves pears and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook over medium to medium high heat for 25 minutes, it should be on a medium boil the whole time. The secret to keep the pears from turning to mush is to avoid stirring them, if needed just gently move them around to rearrange them.
  3. Remove from the heat and let the pears cool down.
  4. Can be served warm as a topping for ice cream, crepes, pancakes, waffles, or as a simple dessert on its own with a slice of queso fresco.