Poached Pears in Spiced Red Wine

Simple and elegant, this dessert accentuates the floral aroma of the pear, by simmering it in red wine and beautiful spices.

What you’ll need:

  • 5 medium sized firm pears (these were made with Packham pears)
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

What to do:

  1. Put the spices, wine and vanilla extract in a saucepan
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer
  3. Peel the pears just before the poaching liquid is ready and add them in to avoid any discolouration
  4. Ensure pears can fit snugly in the saucepan as there needs to be enough room for the pears to be submerged.
  5. Poach the pears on low heat for 20-30 minutes, and rotate them every now and then to ensure they poach evenly on all sides, including the tops.
  6. Allow the pears to cool down in the poaching liquid, then remove the pears.
  7. Reduce the poaching liquid on low heat till it becomes a syrup, coating the back of a spoon.
  8. Serve pears chilled or at room temperature. Drizzle with syrup and serve with vanilla ice-cream, whipped cream or mascarpone cheese.

Notes:

  • For variations, add citrus peels or swop the red wine out for white wine
  • Do not overuse the spices, to prevent them from overpowering the pear’s sweet fragrance
  • Serve with walnuts or almond to give this dessert an additional layer of texture!

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