Poached Pears
The holidays are fast approaching! Poached pears are a simple and elegant dessert that will impress everyone. The key to poached pears is the presentation. I like using Bosc pears because they are beautifully shaped and stand up very well to the poaching process. You can poach with just about any liquid whose flavor you like. You can poach with red wine (as in this recipe), white wines, or even whiskey. If you prefer a completely non-alcoholic version, you can poach with grape juice, pomegranate juice or even cherry juice. I think it's fun to experiment with different flavor combinations to find what you like best. Be sure to finish this off with some type of slightly sweet cream. I enjoy using creme fraiche or a slightly sweetened whipped cream. Whatever you choose, when combined with the rich syrup created from the poaching liquid-----YES!!!
Ingredients
- 6 Bosc pears
- 1 bottle dry red wine
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 orange peel
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
Instructions
- Peel pears and cut the bottom so pears will stand up. Leave stems intact. Optional: cut in half and remove seeds.
- Mix all other ingredients in a medium stockpot. Bring almost to a boil.
- When simmering, add pears.
- Cover and simmer pears in liquid for 15 - 20 minutes. Turn the pears every few minutes to ensure even color on all sides.
- When pears are fork tender, remove from liquid.
- Turn heat up to medium high and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Boil for 10 - 15 minutes until the liquid reduces by 1/3 and turns into a thick syrup.
- Serve pears with additional syrup and creme fraiche.