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Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Bean

Close-up of three glossy, deep red poached pears served in a white bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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You can create an elegant, jewel-toned dessert with minimal effort. These tender poached pears simmer in red wine with warm spices and citrus until they are sweet. Serve this simple fruit dessert warm with vanilla ice cream for an impressive finish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 firm pears (Bosc or Anjou recommended)
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole cloves

Instructions

  1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. If you want a more uniform look, you can slice a thin layer off the bottom so they stand upright later.
  2. In a saucepan large enough to hold the pears standing up or lying on their sides, combine the red wine, sugar, vanilla bean (scrape the seeds into the wine, then add the pod), orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and cloves.
  3. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
  4. Gently place the pears into the simmering liquid. The liquid should mostly cover the pears. If it does not, you can add a little water or more wine.
  5. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan partially with a lid or a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the top (a cartouche).
  6. Simmer the pears gently for 25 to 40 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with a knife. The cooking time depends on the ripeness and size of your pears.
  7. Once tender, remove the pears from the liquid and set them aside.
  8. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil the remaining poaching liquid, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to a thick, syrupy consistency. This creates your flavorful poaching syrup.
  9. To serve, place one or two warm pears in a bowl. Spoon the reduced red wine syrup generously over the top. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Notes

  • For an even more impressive presentation, serve these as a Christmas fruit dessert or Thanksgiving dessert.
  • If you prefer a lighter syrup, use Moscato or white grape juice instead of red wine.
  • You can make these ahead of time; store the cooled pears submerged in the strained syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat gently before serving.

Nutrition

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