Spiced Pear Juice
This Spiced Pear Juice is proof that homemade is always better than store-bought. With warm seasonal spices and bright citrus, it's (dare I say) better than apple cider!
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Ingredients
- 8-10 ripe pears, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 orange, quartered
- 3-4 cinnamon sticks
- 1-2 whole star anise
- 4-5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 6-8 cups water, or enough to cover the fruit
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine the pears, orange quarters, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods, nutmeg, brown sugar, lemon juice, and water.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pears are very soft and the liquid is fragrant.
- Remove from heat and discard the orange quarters and whole spices. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened pears to a blender along with some of the cooking liquid. Blend until smooth, adding more liquid as needed.
- Strain the blended pears through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or pitcher, pressing gently to extract the juice. Stir in additional strained cooking liquid until you reach your desired consistency.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and taste, adjusting sweetness if needed. Allow to cool completely before transferring to airtight bottles or jars.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, or freeze for longer storage.