Bandoeng’22 Poached Pears

With a Pandan–Vanilla Custard and a Coconut–Hazelnut Crumble

These Bandoeng’22 Poached Pears are elegant, aromatic and beautifully balanced. The pears are gently poached in Champagne and Bandoeng’22 Pandan Liqueur, then served with a silky pandan-vanilla custard and a crisp coconut-hazelnut crumble. The result is a dessert that feels refined, festive and full of contrast.

This is the kind of dessert that works perfectly for a dinner party, a holiday table or any occasion where you want to serve something warm, stylish and a little unexpected. The pears stay soft and delicate, the custard adds creamy comfort, and the crumble brings just the right amount of crunch.

Why pear, pandan and vanilla work so well together

Pears have a gentle sweetness and soft texture that make them an ideal base for poaching. Bandoeng’22 Pandan Liqueur adds fragrance and a subtle exotic note, while vanilla brings warmth and familiarity. Together, they create a dessert that feels luxurious without becoming too heavy.

The coconut-hazelnut crumble completes the plate beautifully. Coconut brings softness and a tropical accent, while roasted hazelnuts add depth and crunch. This combination gives the dessert a lovely balance between elegance and comfort.

By Francis Kuijk

This recipe was created by Francis Kuijk, the Dutch-Australian TV chef with Dutch-Indonesian roots. She became widely known as a finalist in season 4 of Heel Holland Bakt and has since shared her love of cooking and baking through demos, workshops and cookbooks, including Francis Bakt & Kookt Thuis and Basisboek Indonesisch. For Bandoeng’22, Francis created a series of desserts that show how pandan liqueur can bring a distinctive twist to sweet recipes.

Ingredients for Bandoeng’22 Poached Pears

Serves 4
Poached Pears

4 pears
Juice of ½ lemon
200 g sugar
750 ml Champagne demi-sec (or demi-sec Cava or Prosecco)
250 ml Bandoeng’22 Pandan Liqueur
300 ml water
3 pandan leaves, knotted
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp pandan essence

Coconut–Hazelnut Crumble

135 g all-purpose flour
90 g light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
95 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
35 g hazelnuts, roasted and finely chopped

Pandan–Vanilla Custard

300 ml milk
1½ tbsp custard powder
300 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 pandan leaves, knotted

Method

1. Prepare the pears
Peel the pears, keeping the stems attached. Rinse with lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Cover with cling film and set aside.

2. Poach in Champagne & Bandoeng’22
In a large saucepan, combine Champagne, Bandoeng’22, water, pandan leaves, vanilla essence, and pandan essence. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the pears, and cover with a cartouche (a round of baking paper). Simmer gently for about 45 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and leave the pears in the liquid until serving.

3. Make the crumble
Preheat oven to 180 °C conventional / 165 °C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl. Rub between your fingertips until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in coconut and hazelnuts, squeeze some larger clusters together, and spread on the tray. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden, stirring once halfway. Cool completely.

4. Prepare the pandan–vanilla custard
In a saucepan, gently heat coconut milk, sugar, vanilla essence, and pandan leaves on the lowest setting for 15 minutes to infuse. Meanwhile, whisk custard powder and milk in a bowl until smooth. Add to the coconut mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Remove pandan leaves and pour the custard into a jug. Cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin from forming.

5. Assemble and serve
Spoon pandan–vanilla custard onto dessert plates. Add a generous portion of crumble to the centre and place a poached pear on top. For an extra aromatic lift, drizzle a few drops of Bandoeng’22 over the custard.

Serving suggestion

Serve these poached pears slightly warm or at room temperature, with the custard soft and the crumble crisp. They make a beautiful plated dessert for festive dinners, winter lunches or elegant after-dinner moments. The long-stemmed pear presentation also gives the dish a classic restaurant feel.

For an extra luxurious finish, spoon over a little of the reduced poaching liquid just before serving.

Dessert tip

Choose pears that are ripe enough to become tender during poaching, but still firm enough to hold their shape. Leaving them in the poaching liquid after cooking helps them absorb more flavour and keeps them beautifully aromatic. A good-quality demi-sec Champagne, Cava or Prosecco works especially well here, as the gentle sweetness pairs naturally with the fragrant character of Bandoeng’22 Pandan Liqueur.

A festive dessert with a Bandoeng’22 signature

What makes this dessert so appealing is the balance between softness, fragrance and texture. The pears are delicate and elegant, the custard adds creamy warmth, and the crumble brings crunch and roasted depth. Bandoeng’22 Pandan Liqueur ties all of those elements together with a fragrant signature that feels refined and memorable.

It is a beautiful example of how Bandoeng’22 can bring originality and elegance to classic fruit desserts.

Discover more Bandoeng’22 desserts

Looking for more desserts with Bandoeng’22 Pandan Liqueur? Explore more of our sweet recipes and discover how pandan adds fragrance, colour and character to poached fruit, mousses, cakes and festive after-dinner creations.

About Francis Kuijk

Dutch-Australian TV chef Francis Kuijk, with her Dutch-Indonesian heritage, is a shining example of where passion and dedication can lead. She became a crowd favorite and finalist in season 4 of Heel Holland Bakt (the Dutch Bake Off). Today, Francis shares her love of cooking through demos and workshops across the country and is the author of popular cookbooks, including Francis Bakt & Kookt Thuis and Basisboek Indonesisch.

Especially for Bandoeng’22, Francis has created inspiring dessert recipes featuring our pandan liqueur—showcasing how this unique ingredient can add a delicious twist to your sweet creations.

Discover more about Francis, click here.