Poached pears make an impressive-looking dessert without a great deal of preparation and effort. Cooking the pears sous vide make this process even simpler, as the pears can be cooked in advance and reheated when needed. The low cooking temperature also gives a delicious and consistent texture every time without the risk of under- or overcooking.

Sugar syrup is a combination of equal measures of water and sugar that are boiled until the sugar has dissolved. This can be made in large batches and kept for up to one month.

The cooking time will vary depending on the ripeness of the fruit, if it is very firm, cook for the longer time.

If you prefer to serve the pears cold, place the bags into iced water once cooked and reserve in the fridge.

A basic sugar syrup is made with caster sugar but for a richer flavour try using honey, Demerara or even molasses which will impart a slightly treacly taste.

Try using different liquids in the bag; sweet white wine, verjus, red wine and port are all good additions, just make sure the alcohol is cooked out beforehand. Reduce the alcohol by at least half for an intense flavour.

Other ingredients can be added to the bag for flavour; spices such as star anise, cloves and cinnamon work really well. You can also try adding herbs such as thyme and rosemary or citrus peel for a fresh flavour.

Adam Gray serves Spiced poached pears with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, while Steve Drake serves his poached pear with chocolate and coriander.