⅓ cup water (or the pear juice that accumulates from peeling, coring, and chopping)
⅓ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cardamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped + pods
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a large deep pot, stirring to combine. Simmer uncovered over low-medium heat for about 1 hour, until pears are very soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Remove vanilla bean, then add to a blender, pureeing (in batches if needed) until mixture is very smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for this step.
Return puree to pan and place on low-medium heat. Place a lid on top slightly ajar, so steam/moisture can escape but pan is mostly covered in case the mixture sputters. Continue to cook until mixture is reduced, thick, and a deep caramelized color, about another 2 hours. Remove from heat. Let cool. Store in air tight containers in the refrigerator or freeze.
Recipe by Wright Family Table at https://www.wrightfamilytable.com/spiced-vanilla-pear-butter/