Oven Poached Pears in Wine
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Oven poached pears in wine, whole ripe pears roasted upright in fruity white wine and honey with cinnamon, bay, and orange zest, then drizzled with the reduced syrup. An elegant, light, make-ahead dessert.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
6 minCOOK
66 minREADY
82 minPoached pears feel like a restaurant dessert, but this oven method makes them almost hands-off. Instead of fussing over a simmering pot, you stand whole ripe pears upright in a baking dish and let the oven do the poaching.
The bath is fruity white wine sweetened with honey, perfumed with cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and strips of orange zest. As the pears roast, they slowly drink up that spiced, wine-soaked flavor and turn meltingly tender.
The final touch is the syrup. You reduce the poaching liquid on the stove until it thickens into a glossy sauce, then drizzle it over the pears so every bite is glazed.
A thin slice off the bottom of each pear keeps it standing tall and elegant on the plate.
Serve them warm, at room temperature, or cold, with a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream.
Pro Tips
- Use ripe but firm pears so they hold their shape instead of collapsing.
- Baste every 15 minutes so the pears color and take on flavor evenly all over.
- Reduce the poaching liquid until syrupy; it concentrates the wine and honey into a real sauce.
- Make them ahead and chill, since they soak up even more flavor overnight.
Variations
- Use red wine for deeper color and a more robust, spiced flavor.
- Add star anise, cloves, or a vanilla bean to the poaching liquid.
- Swap honey for maple syrup, or serve over pound cake or with mascarpone.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each pear, so they will stand upright.
Arrange the pears in a 9- to 10-inch baking dish .
Whisk wine and honey in a medium bowl until well blended, pour over the pears.
Place cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and orange zest to the wine mixture around the pears.
Roast the pears, basting every 15 minutes, until they are wrinkled and tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the type of pear used.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to shallow dessert bowls.
Transfer the wine mixture into a small saucepan, bring to a boil.
Boil until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.
Drizzle on top of the pears and garnish with the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and orange zest.
Serve warm, at room temperature or cold with ice cream, frozen yogurt or whipped topping, whipping cream if desired.
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