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Red Wine Poached Pears with Spices

Two glistening, deep red poached pears with stems intact, sitting in a pool of dark syrup on a white dessert plate.
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A simple recipe for poaching pears in red wine with warming spices for an elegant dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 firm pears (Bosc or Anjou)
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise

Instructions

  1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. You may slice a thin layer off the bottom so they stand upright later.
  2. Combine the red wine, sugar, orange slices, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise in a saucepan large enough to hold the pears snugly.
  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 needed, add a little water.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan partially, and simmer the pears for 25 to 40 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Cooking time depends on the ripeness and size of your pears.
  6. Carefully remove the pears from the liquid and set them aside.
  7. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil the remaining poaching liquid for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it reduces to a thick syrup consistency. Remove the whole spices before serving.
  8. Serve the warm pears drizzled generously with the reduced syrup.

Notes

  • For a richer color, use a full-bodied red wine like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
  • Serve these pears warm or chilled alongside a dollop of mascarpone cheese or vanilla ice cream.
  • If you prefer a less alcoholic syrup, simmer the liquid longer to cook off the alcohol content.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastetaught.com/poached-pears-red-wine-spiced-recipe/