Red Wine Poached Pears
Our La Femme Dinner Party closes with melted cheese doused with champagne and pears poached in robust red wine.
Poached pears are a classic French dessert originating in Burgundy as a way to utilize unripe fruit. And actually, this technique works best if the pears are a little hard as they hold up better when poaching in the hot liquid (and they bruise less when peeling).
Keep this recipe in your back pocket for the holidays. It’s easy to make a large batch for gatherings with friends and family. Because there’s always room on the table near the pumpkin pie.
Red Wine Poached Pears
serves 6
Shopping List —
6 pears (Anjou, Concorde, or Bosc hold up well to being poached but unripe Bartlett pears will also work)
1 bottle (750ml) red wine, such as Côte du Rhône, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Burgundy
250 grams sugar
lemon or orange rind, pith removed
vanilla bean, split
warming spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, etc
chopped pistachios to garnish
For the Pine Honey Cream
226 grams (1 cup) whipped cream
14 grams (1 tbsp) pine honey* (more if you wish it to be sweeter)
Equipment —
peeler
sauce pot
parchment paper to make a cartouche (see below)
kitchen aid or mixer with the whisk attachment
Steps —
Carefully peel all the pears, trying to keep their shape as best as you can. Place the pears in acidulated water as you’re peeling the rest so they don’t oxidize. We like to leave the stem on for dramatic presentation.
Combine the wine, sugar, aromatics, and spices over medium high heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, reduce the heat to a low simmer.
Place the peeled pears into the simmering liquid, and cover with a cartouche (see below) to help the pears stay submerged in the liquid.
Simmer the pears on low for about 30 minutes or until tender, turning the pears often. Test the pears by sticking a cake tester through the flesh. If there’s little to no resistance, the pears are done.
Remove from the heat and transfer the pears to another vessel before reducing the syrup down by half. Pour the syrup over the pears, cover, and refrigerate. The poached pears will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator.
For the pine honey cream: in a kitchen aid with a whisk attachment, add the cream and a drizzle of honey and whip until soft peaks. (You can make the pine honey cream ahead of time, just whisk it back to soft peaks if it falls.)
To plate: dollop a spoonful of the pine honey cream in dessert bowls. Nestle the pear in, keeping it upright. Sprinkle pistachios over the pear and the pine honey cream.
A cartouche is a parchment paper lid. It helps trap steam, reduces evaporation, and prevents a skin from forming on the surface. In this case, it helps keep the pears from bobbing too far out of the liquid.
To make a cartouche:
Fold a piece of parchment in half, then in half again (like a homemade card).
Starting with the folded tip, fold it on the diagonal onto itself to form a narrow triangle.
Cut off about 1/4 inch off the tip of the triangle to make a hole in the center. The hole allows some steam to escape.
Hold the folded triangle over the pan, with the tip in the center to measure the radius. Cut the opposite end in a slight arc where it meets the rim of the pan. Unfold the cartouche. You now have a circle and can place it directly on the surface of the liquid.
