Description
A quick but gourmet like dessert that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ripe and firm pears (I used bosc pears)
- 1–1/2 cup red wine, something flavorful and not too strong
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- For the sauce
- 6 to 7 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Peal the skins from the pear and try to retain the stem.
- Pour wine, lemon juice, vanilla extract along with sugar, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick and cinnamon powder in a deep-bottom pan.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Then, drop the pears very carefully in the pan and bring the heat to medium low.
- Let it simmer for about 12-14 minutes.
- Toss the pear to the other side very gently and let it continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
- Once it’s cooled, remove the pear using a slotted spoon and keep it on the serving plates.
- Turn the heat on and continue boiling the wine in the pan until it’s reduced to half .
- Mix cocoa powder with water and add it to the pan.
- Add butter and heavy cream and keep stirring for about 2 minutes.
- It will start looking smooth and silky. Add the mint leaves and continue boiling for 2 more minutes.
- Check for sugar and if it’s not sweet enough for you, add some more and the sauce is done.
- Discard the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise and mint leaves.
- Pour the sauce on the pear and enjoy it with some whipped cream, creme fraiche or ice-cream.
Notes
Note: You can poach pears in advance and let it refrigerate for a couple of days. You can either serve it cold or boil the sauce for 2 minutes and serve it warm.
If you don’t like wine , you can use pomegranate juice or cranberry juice and that will give the gorgeous red color. If you however don’t care for color you can choose any citrus juice.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins