My new obsession in the realm of tea is hibiscus tea.  An herbal tea made from the gorgeous magenta-hued hibiscus flowers that is slightly tart and filled with Vitamin C—in fact, it is used as a mild medicine in some cultures.  I love to combine hibiscus tea bags and green tea bags in a pot for a lovely iced tea, or use it on its own and slightly sweeten it for an afternoon treat.

I couldn’t resist using it for a poached fruit dessert last week; with pears coming to their ripe haven this time of year, I decided those would be perfect with their white flesh and tender texture.  The halved and cored pears are poached in a mixture of hibiscus tea, white wine, sugar and a touch of orange flower water for an extra herbal kick.  Served on their own with a sprig of fresh mint, or with a dollop of ricotta cheese or mascarpone cheese, this healthy fruit dessert is outrageously pretty. 

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Tagged: fresh mint, fruit dessert, healthy dessert, hibiscus tea, orange flower water, pears, poached fruit, poached pears, poaching, white wine