Elegant pears simmered in a ruby syrup of wine, cinnamon and cloves. Use spiced grape juice for an alcohol-free version.
Serves 4 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 50 minutes | Total: 65 minutes
Times include any chilling, resting or cooling stated below. Oven temperatures are conventional; reduce by 20°C for a fan oven.
Ingredients
4 firm pears, peeled with stalks left on
500 ml vegetarian red wine, or grape juice for an alcohol-free version
100 g sugar or honey
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 strips orange or lemon peel
1 star anise
200 g mascarpone or vanilla ice cream, to serve
Method
Combine the wine or juice, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, peel and star anise in a saucepan and heat for about 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
Add the pears, standing them upright or laying them on their sides, with the liquid nearly covering them. Cover and simmer gently, turning occasionally, until a knife slides in easily, about 30 minutes.
Lift out the pears and boil the syrup hard until reduced by about half and glossy, about 15 minutes.
Serve the pears warm or chilled with the syrup spooned over and mascarpone alongside.
Variations and substitutions
Can be made a day ahead, as the colour deepens overnight in the syrup. Use firm, slightly underripe pears.
Use grape juice instead of wine for an alcohol-free dessert; simmering wine does not reliably remove all alcohol. Serve with plant-based yoghurt instead of mascarpone if preferred.
Homegrown and seasonal produce
Firm, slightly underripe pears are easier to poach neatly than soft ripe fruit. Cut a thin slice from each base if you want them to stand upright.
Storage and freezing
Cool cooked food promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or below. Eat within 48 hours. Freeze suitable portions for up to 3 months; defrost in the fridge, use within 24 hours and reheat once until piping hot throughout.
Explore our growing guides and From Garden to Kitchen guide. Plan your next harvest with Your Growing Companion.
Stock photograph illustrating the ingredients or a serving idea.
