Sweet and Fruity Wine Poached Pears Recipe That Ends Any Meal With a Bang

I'm a sucker for desserts that feel elegant without requiring a ton of fancy cooking tricks. It may sound like a tall task, but a dessert like wine poached pears proves that it's possible. Fresh pears get poached in a red wine mixture until the fruity flesh becomes soft and the liquid thickens. Each scoop of the tender pear offers a burst of sweet and rich flavors, which make it perfect to enjoy as is or with your favorite garnishes. (It's what dessert dreams are made of!) Here's how to make wine poached pears that require just 15 minutes of active prep.

What are wine poached pears?

This dessert is made by poaching the fruit in red wine, warming spices such as cinnamon, sugar and, sometimes, orange zest. Since poaching is done at a gentle simmer over low heat, it allows foods like pears to develop a soft texture without turning mushy. Once tender, the pears can be cooled slightly and then with the poaching liquid, whipped cream or other ingredients. Poached pears are believed to have originated in a wine-producing region in France known as Beaujolais . While it's not hard to find this dessert on the menu at an upscale restaurant, it's simple to put together for your upcoming holiday gatherings or any time you want to indulge your sweet tooth.

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Should you peel pears before poaching?

The chefs at Blue Apron suggest peeling the pears before poaching. This prevents the tannins (or chemical compounds) in the skin from turning bitter during the poaching process. Additionally, removing the skin lets the wine color the fruit so it boasts a deep red hue. After peeling the fruit, you can leave the core in and proceed with preparing your desired recipe. (Read how pears are considered one of the healthiest fruits to incorporate into your regular diet.)

A delectable poached pears recipe

This poached pears recipe comes from the wine brand, Riunite. The recipe uses their Classic Lambrusco , which is a red wine that boasts fruity and floral notes that make this pear dessert even more delicious. Though, your go-to red wine works fine too. It's best to enjoy the poached pears with whipped cream, raspberries, pistachios and pound cake for a dessert spread that won't fail to wow guests! (Try this recipe for Cold Oven Pound Cake is a great accompaniment as the fluffy cake soaks up the yummy poaching liquid.)

Poached Pears in Red Wine

Ingredients:

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of red wine
• 4 pears, peeled (such as Bosc or Bartlett)
• ½ cup pomegranate juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Garnish: chopped pistachios, raspberries and/or whipped cream
• Additional for serving: sliced pound cake

Directions:

• Yield: 4 servings

1. In a large stockpot, pour in wine, pomegranate juice, sugar, star anise and cinnamon stick. Bring to simmer over medium heat.
2. Trim bottoms of each pear so they stand up right. Peel pears right before placing in the poaching liquid. Poach pears 25 to 30 minutes. Rotate pears every so often. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and allow pears to cool completely in liquid.
3. Once cooled, top pears with pistachios, whipped cream. Serve with pound cake and raspberries.
4. Note: Store any leftover poached pears in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat the pears gently on the stove, microwave or oven.

Can you save the poaching liquid from wine poached pears?

What's great about poached pears is you can save the liquid for a later use. Simply store it in a separate clean airtight container for the same amount of time as the fruit. Then, drizzle it over the reheated pears, a bowl of ice cream or French toast.

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