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Poached pears served on small ceramic plates with pink flowers.
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5 stars (1 rating)

Poached Pears

Searching for an easy yet elegant seasonal dessert? Look no further! Poached pears, simmered in white wine, honey, vanilla, & spices.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Brunch, Dessert, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to poach pears, poached pear recipe, poached pears, wine poached pears
Servings: 6 whole pears
Calories: 510kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle wine* (red or white- I used Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup honey
  • 2 strips lemon zest
  • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 6 pears, firm (such as Bartlett or Anjou)

Instructions

  • Place the wine, water, sugar, honey, lemon zest, ginger, and cinnamon stick in a large pot.
  • Split the vanilla bean, remove the seeds, and add both the seeds and the pod to the pot.
  • Stir the mixture and place it over medium heat, until it comes to a low simmer.
  • When it has reached a simmer, turn the heat down to low, peel the pears, and add them to the pot.
  • Place a circle of parchment or a plate directly on top of the pears, to weigh them down and prevent browning.
  • Simmer the pears in the liquid until they are very soft (approx. 20 minutes).
  • Remove the poached pears from the pot, turn the heat up to high, and boil the liquid until it's reduced to a syrup.
  • Serve the poached pears warm, at room temperature, or chilled, with a drizzle of the syrup.

Video

Notes

*If you don't want to use wine, substitute an equal amount of fruit juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 111g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 98g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg