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Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla

Four glistening, deep red wine poached pears served on a white plate with rich syrup.
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A simple recipe for elegant pears poached in red wine, vanilla, and spices, resulting in a tender and flavorful dessert perfect for special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 firm, ripe pears (Bosc or Anjou recommended)
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 star anise
  • Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. You can trim a thin slice from the bottom so they stand upright later.
  2. In a saucepan large enough to hold the pears standing up, combine the red wine, sugar, water, vanilla bean seeds and pod, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange zest.
  3. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
  4. Gently place the peeled pears into the simmering liquid. The liquid should mostly cover the pears. If it does not, add a little more water.
  5. Reduce the heat to low. Maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot partially with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside the pot (a cartouche) to keep the tops moist.
  6. Poach the pears for 25 to 40 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Cooking time depends on the ripeness and size of your pears.
  7. Carefully remove the pears from the liquid and set them aside.
  8. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil the remaining poaching liquid rapidly. Reduce the liquid until it thickens into a light syrup, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the spices and vanilla pod before serving.
  9. Serve the warm or chilled pears drizzled generously with the reduced syrup.

Notes

  • For an even richer flavor, substitute 1/4 cup of the red wine with bourbon during the poaching process.
  • Serve these pears with a dollop of mascarpone cheese or vanilla bean ice cream for a complete dessert.
  • You can make these pears up to three days ahead and store them in the refrigerator in their poaching liquid.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/poached-pears-recipe-elegant-dessert/