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Pears Poached in White Wine Syrup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Delicious served with vanilla ice cream or crème anglaise.

Category: Dessert
Quantity: 4 serves
Author: sbaskitchen
Ingredients
  • 4 pears peeled with stems left intact and seeds removed with a melon baller
  • 2 cups sweet white wine
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 vanilla bean or substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 strips lemon rind thinly pared
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 125 g white sugar
Instructions

  1. Add the white wine, water, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, lemon rind, lemon juice and sugar to a saucepan.

  2. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer.

  3. Add the prepared pears and poach, covered with a cartouche (see notes), for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are tender, but not mushy.

  4. Use a large slotted spoon to remove the pears and set aside.

  5. Return the poaching liquid to the heat and simmer until the mixture reduces by half. The syrup is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean from the syrup.

  6. Arrange the pears on individual serving plates and drizzle with the syrup.
Notes
  • I love to use Beurre bosc pears, they are not only delicious, but I also love their shape.
  • Cartouche – For a cartouche, simply cut a circle of parchment/baking paper slightly larger than the dimension of your pot, scrunch it up and place under running cold water to dampen and soften it. Flatten it and then place it onto the liquid surface of a casserole, soup, stock or sauce. This slows down the evaporation, prevents a skin from forming and helps to keep the ingredients submerged, as well as moist.