Red Wine Poached Pears is a classic dessert featuring Bosc pears gently simmered in a fragrant spiced red wine and orange juice mixture sweetened with honey. The pears are infused with warm notes of cinnamon and cloves, resulting in a tender and flavorful treat perfect for serving warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Total Time:1 hour
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients
Pears
4 Bosc pears
Poaching Liquid
1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (such as Shiraz, Merlot, or Sauvignon; Merlot recommended)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
Prepare the Pears: Peel the pears carefully, making sure to keep the stems intact for a beautiful presentation.
Mix the Poaching Liquid: In a medium saucepan, combine the red wine, orange juice, honey, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Stir gently until the honey is fully dissolved and ingredients are well mixed.
Add Pears and Boil: Place the peeled pears into the saucepan with the liquid and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Simmer and Poach: Reduce the heat to medium, allowing the pears to simmer gently for 45 minutes. Turn the pears every 5 to 10 minutes to ensure even cooking and full infusion of flavors.
Cool Slightly: When pears are tender and richly infused with the spices and wine, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the pears cool slightly while still in the poaching liquid.
Serve: Serve the pears warm, ideally with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a luscious finish. Enjoy your elegant dessert!
Notes
Choose Bosc pears as they hold their shape well during poaching.
If you prefer a less sweet dessert, reduce the honey to 1/3 cup.
Use a dry red wine like Merlot for deeper flavor; avoid cooking wines with additives.
Turn the pears gently with a slotted spoon or tongs to prevent breaking.
The poaching liquid can be reduced after removing pears to create a syrup for drizzling.
For a dairy-free option, serve with coconut whipped cream instead of traditional whipped cream.
