Description
Cooked until tender, these beautiful red wine poached pears are an easy yet elegant dessert for the holidays or any special occasion. Your guests are going to be impressed! Totally gluten-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 4 Bosc pears
- 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Peel Pears:Â Peel the pears, making sure to keep the stems intact.
- Prepare Wine Mixture: In a medium-sized saucepan or pot, combine the red wine, orange juice, honey, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Cook Pears in Wine Mixture: Add the peeled pears to the saucepan with the wine mixture and bring the ingredients to a boil. Once the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let the pears cook for about 35-45 minutes. To ensure even cooking, gently turn the pears every 5-10 minutes.
- Let Pears Cool:Â Once the pears are tender and infused with the flavors, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow them to cool off slightly.
- Garnish and Serve:Â Serve these red wine poached pears with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Pears: I recommend using pears that will hold their shape well, and have a good balance of sweetness and acidity. I used Bosc pears which are typically used for poaching, but you may also use Anjou pears or Bartlett pears.
Wine: I used Merlot wine, but you can also use Shiraz, Malbec or Sauvignon.
Orange Juice: For a little bit of tartness, I’ve used orange juice (freshly squeezed juice is best, but you can also use bottled juice if that’s what you have).
Maple Syrup: I used maple syrup for added sweetness, but you may also use agave nectar too. Alternatively, if you don’t require this recipe to be vegan, you can use honey as well.
Spices: I like a mix of whole cloves and cinnamon sticks to add a beautiful spiced taste to the wine mixture. You may also add in star anise if you enjoy the taste.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Western
