Spiced Red Wine Pears
Spiced Red Wine Pears are gently poached with cinnamon, cloves, star anise, orange, and lemon. The reduced wine syrup gives this elegant French dessert a rich flavour and festive appearance.
Equipment
- Large saucepan with lid
- Measuring cups
- Peeler
- slotted spoon
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
For the Pears
- 4 ripe Pears peeled, cored and halved
For the Spiced Wine Syrup
- 750 millilitres Merlot
- 150 grams Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Whole Cloves
- 2 whole Star Anise
- 1 medium Orange zested and juiced
- 1 medium Lemon zested and juiced
Instructions
Prepare the Spiced Wine Syrup
- Pour the Merlot into a large saucepan.
- Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise.
- Add the orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Poach the Pears
- Add the pear halves to the simmering wine mixture.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid.
- Simmer gently for approximately 30 minutes until the pears are tender but still hold their shape.
- Turn the pears several times during cooking so they colour evenly.
- Remove the pears carefully with a slotted spoon.
- Transfer them to a serving dish.
Reduce the Spiced Wine Syrup
- Increase the heat beneath the saucepan to medium-high.
- Simmer the poaching liquid uncovered for approximately 15 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened.
- Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise.
- Pour the warm reduced syrup over the pears.
- Let the pears stand for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pears warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone, or Greek yogurt. For a dairy-free presentation, add coconut yogurt or vegan vanilla ice cream. Crushed amaretti biscuits or toasted almonds provide extra texture.Recipe Notes
Choose ripe but firm pears that will soften without falling apart. Keep the poaching liquid at a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil. Turn the pears regularly so every surface absorbs the wine and develops an even colour.Variations
Replace Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel. Add fresh ginger, vanilla, cardamom, or strips of orange peel. Apples can replace the pears, although their cooking time may differ. For a sweeter syrup, stir in a tablespoon of honey after reducing.Storage
Cool the pears in their syrup before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to four days. The colour and flavour become deeper during storage. Reheat gently in a saucepan or serve chilled.Wine Advice
Serve the pears with the same Merlot used for poaching. A late-harvest Gewürztraminer is a sweeter alternative that complements the citrus, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise.Nutrition values
Serving: 2 pear halves with syrup | Calories: 320 kcal | Carbohydrates: 50 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 1 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Sodium: 15 mg | Sugar: 40 g