Poached Pears (Poires Pochees)

Pears poached in red wine are an elegant dessert full of festive holiday spice flavor, including cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla extract. I like to serve this drizzled or drenched with creme anglaise sauce.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 590 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 star anise
• 4 pears

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add lemon juice and pears and let sit for 2 minutes. Remove pears from the hot water 1 at a time and carefully peel, leaving stem intact.

Step 2

Combine wine, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and star anise in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Rinse pears and add to the boiling wine mixture. Use a plate on top of pears to keep them submerged. Simmer until a knife very easily pierces the pears, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and allow pears to cool in the wine mixture.

Step 3

Serve pears in a bowl, either whole or sliced and cored.