
Poached Pears
An easy dinner party dessert that can be prepared in advance so you have more time to spend with guests.
Ingredients
- 6 whole Pears, peeled
- 1 Vanilla Pod
- 1 Bottle of Red Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot works best)
- 8oz Superfine Sugar
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- Sprig of fresh Thyme for decoration
- Handful of chopped almonds
Step 1
Halve the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds then place the seeds and remaining pod in a large sauce pan along with the red wine, sugar and cinnamon stick.
Step 2
Lower the pears in to the pan ensuring they are submerged in the wine and cover with the lid.
Step 3
Poach the pears for around 20 minutes or until they are tender all the way through.
Step 4
Remove the pears from the pan, then continue to boil the liquid to form a syrup. Once the liquid is reduced, leave to one side to cool.
Step 5
Slice the pears in half and serve with the cooled syrup, a sprig of thyme and some whipped mascarpone cheese or whipped cream. Sprinkle each serving with chopped almonds.