Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- 8 – 10 star anise
- 2-4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups Apothic Red
- ½ cup water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 – 6 medium sized Bosc pears (or 1 per guest)
Prepare
- Place the sugar, star anise, Apothic Red wine, water and vanilla in a saucepan. Make sure the saucepan is large enough for the pears to fit snugly in there, with just enough wiggle room for the pears to submerge in the poaching liquid at an angle as well.
- Bring the red wine mix to a simmer while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the cinnamon sticks into the liquid.
- Peel the pears once the poaching liquid is ready (pears will discolor if you peel them too early).
- Lower the peeled pears into the poaching liquid carefully.
- Let the pears poach in the liquid on medium-low heat (simmering) for 20 – 25 minutes, but rotate the pears every 5 minutes to ensure they poach evenly on all sides, including the tops of the pears.
- When the pears have been poached, keep them upright in the poaching liquid, and remove the saucepan from the heat, allowing the pears to cool down in the poaching liquid.
- You should serve the poached pears after chilling them in the fridge, but they can be served at room temperature as well.
- Before serving, remove the pears from the poaching liquid and leave them on a plate to drain off the liquid a bit.
- Heat the remaining liquid in the saucepan, and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until the liquid thickens slightly into a syrup. The cooking time depends on how much liquid is left, so keep an eye on it. If the syrup is too thick, add a little water to thin it out
Finish & Serve
- When you’re ready to serve, place the pears on a serving plate, and brush them with a little syrup to make the pears look shiny (optional). Spoon on a dollop of whipped cream to garnish.
- Finish the dish by pouring some syrup over the individual pears, and serve with a glass of Apothic Red to perfectly complement this easy going dessert.
