Wine poached pears for Valentine’s Day dessert
Wine poached pears are a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert. Your sweetheart will feel Cupid’s arrow at the first bite. This classic French dessert originates from the wine growing regions of Beaujolais and belongs to the cuisines of Burgundy and Lyon. Whisper poire à la Beaujolais in your amour’s ear and who knows what could happen next!
Asian or European? What type of pear to poach?
An Asian pear is uniform in color (yellowish-tan) and shaped more like an apple. It has have a completely different texture and taste than a European pear. The skin’s texture is a little gritty and the flesh has a crispness that borders on crunchy and lacks a typical “pear” flavor. It is best to eat it raw in salads and slaws.
A European pear has smooth-skin. It has gentle bumps and curves and a typical bottom-heavy shape. The best pears to be poached in wine are a European variety that will keep it’s shape such as Anjous, Bosc, or Bartlett.
Elegant presentation
Pears poached in wine are an elegant addition to your Valentine’s Day menu. The deep rich purple of a poached pear looks beautiful on any plate. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and add a dollop of Marscapone. Yes, it’s an Italian cheese, but this dish doesn’t belong solely to the French! Caution: pera cotta nel vino spoken softly in your lover’s ear will have an amorous consequence.
Wine Poached Pears
Equipment
- Medium size sauce pan
Ingredients
- 2 pears The flesh should be firm
- 2 cups red wine
- ½ cup sugar optional
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- Lemon peel remove the white pith
- cloves 2-4
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients
- Peel pears leaving the stems intact and gently removing the calyx at the bottom
- Place pears in a saucepan and add wine
- Add the cloves, lemon peel and sugar
- Simmer until a knife blade is easily inserted into the fruit.
- Remove and cool
Serving suggestion
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze and add a dollop of Marscapone cheese to create an Italian style dessert.
Tips
- You don't need to immerse the entire fruit in the wine. As the pears simmer, turn them in the pan. This will ensure an even absorption of the wine and enhance the uniformity of color.
- Sugar is an optional ingredient. I prefer to not add it as it can mask the flavor of the fruit and overwhelm the palate if paired with a sweet cookie or ice cream
Notes