Cassia Blossom Steamed Pears

This thoroughly modern dessert of steamed, chilled pears filled with an intriguing honey and Cognac syrup dates back to the ninth century. Then, in the golden age of the Tang dynasty, it was already common to combine the “cool”-natured pear with the “warming” qualities of cassia, honey, and wine. According to the same yin-yang culinary rule, the soon-to-be velvety pear was frequently stuffed with nuts or bits of chewy dried fruit to offer a nice contrast of texture.