Poached Pears in Red Wine with Spices

Elegant and flavorful dessert featuring pears gently poached in spiced red wine, served with creamy mascarpone or crème fraîche.

Prep Time

15 minutes

Total Time

45 minutes

Calories

395 kcal

Difficulty

Easy

Equipment

3 items

Cost

£2.94/serving

Season:

Meal Type:

Cuisine:

Mood:

Ingredients

Servings

4mediumPears(Firm but ripe, such as Bosc or Anjou)

£2.00

750mlDry Red Wine(such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)

£7.00

0.5cupGranulated Sugar

£0.30

1Cinnamon Stick

£0.25

4Whole Cloves

£0.15

2Star Anise

£0.40

1stripOrange Zest(Using a vegetable peeler)

£0.05

1tablespoonLemon Juice

£0.10

0.5cupMascarpone Cheese(Or crème fraîche, for serving)

£1.50

Total Cost

£11.75

£2.94 per serving

Instructions

1.
Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Core the pears from the bottom using a small knife or melon baller.
2.
In a saucepan, combine the red wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and orange zest.
3.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
4.
Gently place the pears into the simmering wine mixture. They should be mostly submerged. Add water if needed to cover them more.
5.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid or parchment paper (to keep pears submerged), and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the pears are tender but still hold their shape. Turn the pears occasionally to ensure even poaching.
6.
Carefully remove the pears from the poaching liquid and set aside to cool slightly.
7.
Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer the poaching liquid for 10-15 minutes, or until it has reduced by about half and thickened slightly into a syrup.
8.
Stir in the lemon juice.
9.
To serve, place a poached pear in a bowl, drizzle with the red wine syrup, and top with a dollop of mascarpone cheese or crème fraîche.

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (275g)

395 kcal / 1653 kJ

Carbs

55.9g

22% of RDA

Fat

9.9g

14% of RDA

Protein

2.6g

5% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

4.5 g

15% of RDA

Sugar

45.1 g

50% of RDA

Sodium

24 mg

1% of RDA

Saturated Fat

6.2 g

31% of RDA

Chef's Tips

To prevent the pears from browning after peeling, rub them with lemon juice.

You can add a splash of brandy or other liquor to the poaching liquid for extra flavor.

The poached pears can be made ahead of time and stored in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Cooking Equipment

Saucepan

Paring knife

Vegetable peeler

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

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