A friend of ours has the most marvellous garden. It is like The Secret Garden, only better. It is full of fruit trees; apple, medlar, plum, cherry and pear. Fortunately for us our friend is also very generous. He turns up with buckets full of whatever fruit is ready. Last week was the turn of the pear and what lovely pears they were. They deserved to be turned into something special. In fact I made not one but two desserts with them, these poached pears and a caramelised pear and almond cake which will feature in the next post. The two made for some very nice eating after a lovely meal at my mum and dad’s house.
6-8 pears (fairly firm)
1 bottle of good red wine
1 vanilla pod, split and cut into three pieces
5 cm cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 whole cloves
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
225g caster sugar
Method
Peel the pears, leaving them whole and the stalk intact. Cut a little off the bottom so that each pear will stand upright.
Pour the wine into a saucepan that is large enough to take all the pears but not too large as you want the pears to be as covered in the wine as they can be. Add the sugar, the spices and the thyme. Place over a gentle heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the pears and turn the heat up until the wine is simmering. Cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for twenty to thirty minutes until the pears are just tender when you test with a cocktail stick or fork tine. If the pears are not fully submerged in the wine then turn them every five minutes during cooking to make sure they become evenly coloured.
Remove the pears to a deep bowl. Turn the heat up under the wine and boil vigorously until reduced by about half and it has become syrupy. Allow the syrup to cool a little and then pour over the pears. This way they will develop a deeper red colour. Place in the fridge. The pears can be made up to two days ahead. Serve with lashings of cream.
I love love love pears- and any dessert with pears featured receives a big big thumbs up! Looking forward to reading the second recipe!
Aw thanks Kate, they are both good ways of getting more use of pears. I should submit them to your autumnal challenge. Didn’t think of it before.
These jewel-toned beauties are perfect for a fall dessert–especially “with lashings of cream.”
You have to have lashings of cream, it’s compulsory 😉
Amazing colour – bet they taste fantastic.
Thanks BVG I was pretty pleased with them and they passed muster with my Dad so they must be good.
Beautiful pear, I bet that tasted divine. Particularly impressed by the “lashings of cream”. Just noticed your banner has changed – I’m such an old fuddy duddy, but I think I like it. I’m sure I will love it given time 😉
I am not sure about it either. But it took ages to make those biscuits so I am seeing if I grow to love it too… We will see, if it disappears and the damsons come back then you will know.
Goodness, I hadn’t realised they were biscuits. Well done you – feeling quite impressed now. Are you doing a post about it?
Oh dear, do they look that bad? Unrecognisable as biscuits. Must get better at making biscuits. Yes I am going to do a post about them, in fact they are the start of my Shropshire recipes – Shrewsbury biscuits.
oh, I am so excited about these pear posts! wine-poached pears are a revelation, a most elegant dessert.
Wine poached pears are very delicious. Give them a go.