The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word PEARMAIN
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
P
E
A
R
M
A
I
N
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PEARMAIN mean?
PEARMAIN noun- A type of pear.
- Any of various types of apple, having an elongated shape and often with streaky skin.