Poached pears are a well known French desert. A few simple ingredients will make this amazing desert with am awesome scent and look.
However, the choice of the wine is essential. It must be a good quality red wine high in sugar content, which will make a super thick syrup.
The spices used for this recipes are also prefect for Christmas. You can serve it after your main course on Christmas Eve dinner or on Christmas lunch, right before main desserts and other sweets!
Ingredients
- 4pears (Spinelli, Kaiser or Conference)
- 500 mlred wine (Port, Nero d’Avola or Primitivo di Manduria)
- 100 gdark muscovado brown sugar
- 2cinnamon sticks
- 2star anise
- 1orange (zest only)
Preparation
– put all the ingredients (except for the pears) in a tall saucepan (saucepan must be large enough for the pears to fit in, with just enough wiggle room for the pears to submerge in the poaching liquid at an angle as well);
– bring the red wine to a simmer while stirring to dissolve the sugar;
– as soon as the wine comes to a simmer, peel the pears and lower them into the poaching liquid;
– let the pears poach in the wine on medium to low heat (simmering) for 20/25 minutes, but rotate the pears every 5 minutes to ensure they poach evenly on all sides, including the tops of the pears;
– when the pears have been poached, carefully remove them from the poaching liquid and leave them on a plate;
– simmer the spiced wine for a few more minutes until the liquid thickens slightly into a syrup;
– serve the pears on a plate, and pour some spoons of the spiced wine syrup onto them;
