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There are many desserts that I like, but I'm generally not a huge fan of having them right after a meal. They are usually too rich and filling after an already delicious and satisfying meal. Fruit and ice cream, though? That's a win! Especially wine-poached pears!
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What kind of pears for Wine-Poached Pears?
This recipe by Jacques Pépin is simple, can be made ahead, and makes a beautiful presentation. You can use any type of pear that you want, but I like to use Bosc. Pick pears that are of the same ripeness so that they cook evenly. Some pears will only take 15 minutes and others could take 30 … the variety and the ripeness are factors. Test by poking with the tip of a knife, looking for a tender, but not mushy pear.
I use a soft-skin peeler to peel the pears so that I don't take away too much of the flesh as I'm prone to do using a paring knife. Work quickly to cut, quarter, and core the pears so they don't start turning brown.
The poaching liquid ...
And then the magic of wine-poached pears happens … combine wine, grenadine, and honey and pour it over the fruit. A fruity red wine like a Rhône is a good choice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook till the pears are tender, 15-30 minutes. The time it takes to cook will be dependent on the variety of pears and their ripeness.
Carefully remove the pears from the liquid with a slotted spoon, then reduce the liquid till it is syrupy and you are left with about a cup. Pour the syrup over the pears and let it all come to room temperature. You can make them ahead of time and refrigerate them, but be sure to bring them back to room temperature before serving.
How to serve Wine Poached Pears
I like to serve them with vanilla ice cream and a little cookie. I made gluten-free gingerbread from the Sweet Laurel Bakery cookbook in the shape of birds this time … you know, like a partridge in a pear tree? Which leads me to think this would be delicious and beautiful during the holiday season!
Bon Appétit!
Do you like Fruit Recipes? Here are some more:
Recipe
Wine-Poached Pears
Ingredients
- 2 large Bosc pears
- 1 cup of Rhône Valley wine
- ¼ cup grenadine syrup
- ⅓ cup honey
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Prepare the pears by peeling, quartering and coring them. Put the pear quarters in a saucepan, add the wine, grenadine, and honey, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes (up to 30) depending on the variety and ripeness of the pears. I like to turn them in the liquid a few times as they cook so that all parts of the flesh are exposed to the wine. That beautiful red stain on them is irresistible.
- Remove the pears from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and boil the liquid over high heat until it is reduced to ¾-1 cup and is syrupy. This will take about 10 minutes. Pour the syrup over the reserved pears and allow it to come to room temperature.
- You can make the pears ahead of time and refrigerate, but bring them back to room temperature before serving.
- Scoop up some ice cream, accompany it with a couple of wedges of pears, and pour the syrup over. Serve with some cookies … I love them with gingerbread!
- Bon Appétit!
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