Poached pears
Pears poached in red wine with cinnamon and star anise. Super easy to make, only 4 ingredients, and so christmassy!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Side Dish
Servings 4 people
Calories 66 kcal
- 4 pears (pears for poached such as Gieser-Wildeman, St. Remy, Anjouor Bosc)
- 2 cinnamon stick (bark)
- 1 star anise
- 500-750 ml red wine (enough to cover the pears. You can also add so water if necessary)
Start by peeling the pears. Leave the stem on so you can lift them out of the saucepan easily.
Now put the pears in a saucepan. They should be snugly side-by-side in the pan not allowing too much space between them and add star anise and cinnamon (bark) in there as well. Pour in enough red wine to (almost) cover the pears.
Bring the pears in wine to boil and turn down the heat to low allowing them to simmer for at least 45 minutes to an hour (depending on the type of pear you use). The longer you leave them simmering, the more intense the flavor will be. Make sure to check on them every once in a while to see there is still enough liquid in the pan.
Once the pears are softened and deep red, take them out of the saucepan and transfer them to a serving plate. The cinnamon and star anise can be discarded. The remaining liquid can be used to make a sauce. Bring the liquid to boil and continue boiling it down for 5-10 minutes until it becomes syrupy and pour over the pears or transfer to a sauce boat. If you are pressed for time you can also use some cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce. Add a teaspoon of either one to a bit of cold water and stir until smooth. Now add this to the boiling liquid and stir. The sauce will immediately start to thicken. Take it off the heat and pour it over the pears. Or serve it separately in a sauce boat.
Nutritional information:
the information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.