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:
- Put the spices, wine and vanilla extract in a saucepan
- Bring the mixture to a simmer
- Peel the pears just before the poaching liquid is ready and add them in to avoid any discolouration
- Ensure pears can fit snugly in the saucepan as there needs to be enough room for the pears to be submerged.
- 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.
- Allow the pears to cool down in the poaching liquid, then remove the pears.
- Reduce the poaching liquid on low heat till it becomes a syrup, coating the back of a spoon.
- 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!