Poached pears in port is a classic French dessert that combines the sweetness of ripe pears with the rich flavor of red wine. Served warm or chilled, this dish is perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a simple yet elegant dessert to impress your guests or a comforting treat to enjoy on a cold winter evening, poached pears in port is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!
PERFECT POACHED FRUIT
Steps:
- Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender.
- Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean before serving if you like.
POACHED RED PEARS IN PORT WINE
Steps:
- Peel and core the pears. Place them in a saucepot with anise and Port wine. Bring to a boil and cook until the alcohol is burned off - be careful as the mixture may ignite. Once alcohol is burned off, drop heat to a simmer and add in the pears, making sure they are fully submerged. Pears should simmer for at least 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pears once they are tender. Return the port to a simmer and cook until reduced by 3/4 and syrupy.
- In a small saucepan, place ginger root and 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar. Cook until sugar caramelizes. Remove from the heat and place on a parchment lined sheet pan to cool.
- Melt chocolate over a double-boiler.
- Whip cream to stiff peaks. Sweeten with powdered sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside to chill.
- Use the reduced wine as a sauce or garnish. Once pears are done and tender, place on plate. Fill with chocolate and top with whipped cream. Garnish with candied ginger and drizzle with reduced wine. Serve warm.
PEARS IN PORT WITH MERINGUE CREAM
This festive make-ahead pudding is a great way to use up leftover port (or red wine)
Provided by Sara Buenfeld
Categories Dessert
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Pour the port into a large pan with 600ml water, add the sugar and cinnamon, then heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20-30 mins until tender all the way through. They are ready when a cocktail stick can be easily pushed through each one. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the pears in 2 batches using the same port syrup, or turn the pears several times as they cook so they become an even colour. Let the pears cool in their syrup, preferably overnight to allow the syrup to really stain them. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
- Check the consistency of the syrup. If it is very thin, boil it in a pan to reduce the amount and concentrate the flavour.
- To serve, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it holds its shape, then fold in the meringue. Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Arrange the pears in a shallow dish and spoon over the syrup. Allow guests to help themselves to both pears and cream.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 489 calories, Fat 29 grams fat, SaturatedFat 16 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 49 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 49 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 2 grams protein, Sodium 0.06 milligram of sodium
EASY POACHED PEARS
Bosc pears, available through April, become tender yet hold their shape well when poached. A spice-infused syrup gives them a pie-like flavor.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, cinnamon stick, allspice, ground pepper, apple cider, and water.
- Add pears. Cover with waxed paper to prevent discoloring. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning pears occasionally, until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove pears from liquid; transfer to large bowl.
- Raise heat to high; boil cider mixture until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon. Pour syrup over pears; refrigerate. To serve, slice off a sliver from the bottom of each pear (so it stands upright). Serve pears with lemon sorbet, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 128 g, Fat 1 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 1 g
PEARS POACHED IN PORT WITH CRANBERRIES
Categories Fruit Juice Berry Dessert Christmas Cranberry Pear Port Winter Vegan Gourmet Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Tie allspice and peppercorns in a cheesecloth bag with kitchen string. Put bag in a large saucepan with remaining ingredients except pears and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
- Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and arrange on sides in poaching liquid. Simmer, uncovered, gently turning from time to time, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness.
- Discard cheesecloth bag and carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Discard ginger, cinnamon stick, and zest. Serve pears warm or at room temperature with syrup.
POACHED PEARS
Back in 2012, Mark Bittman and Sam Sifton tackled the task of making up a bountiful meal for 15 at a friend's Brooklyn home. "We wanted to impress our guests without driving ourselves crazy. We decided on sturdy and manageable main courses, but we wanted an eye-popping starter and dessert," Mr. Sifton said. These poached pears in port, paired with an orange, almond and olive oil cake, rose to the occasion. Ready in about 45 minutes, and without a lot of fuss over the stove, it's a great way to end a dinner party.
Provided by Mark Bittman And Sam Sifton
Categories dessert
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Combine the port and sugar in a saucepan with 2 cups water; heat until the sugar dissolves. Add vanilla beans.
- Peel and core pears. Pour on port mixture and simmer 15 to 40 minutes, until tender.
- Let pears cool in the liquid.
- Reduce the liquid to less than a cup. Serve individually with the liquid spooned over.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 438, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 75 grams, Fat 0 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 14 milligrams, Sugar 52 grams
INSTANT POT® POACHED PEARS WITH PORT WINE
The most amazing elegant dessert in an instant. Try these quick and easy poached pears cooked with port wine and spices, made in minutes in your Instant Pot®, ready to entertain any guests. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Provided by Fioa
Categories Desserts Fruit Dessert Recipes Orange Dessert Recipes
Time 1h5m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine water, port, orange juice, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Select Saute function and set timer for 3 minutes, until liquid begins to slightly simmer.
- Place pears inside the pot. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 8 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
- Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove lid. Transfer pears to a plate to cool, leaving juices in the pot.
- Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
- Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove lid. Discard cinnamon sticks from the sauce. Place poached pears in bowls and drizzle with port sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 385.1 calories, Carbohydrate 77.4 g, Fat 0.5 g, Fiber 6.1 g, Protein 1.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 12.8 mg, Sugar 62.5 g
POACHED PEARS IN SPICED RED WINE
A completely fat-free pud that isn't boring. It's not just Good Food, it's genius
Provided by Sara Buenfeld
Categories Dessert, Dinner
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and put in a large saucepan with the wine, sugar, cinnamon and thyme. Cut each piece of pod into three long thin strips, add to pan, then lower in the pears.
- Poach the pears, covered, for 20-30 mins, making sure they are covered in the wine. The cooking time will very much depend on the ripeness of your pears - they should be tender all the way through when pierced with a cocktail stick. You can make these up to 2 days ahead and chill.
- Take the pears from the pan, then boil the liquid to reduce it by half so that it's syrupy. Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a strip of vanilla, a piece of cinnamon and a small thyme sprig.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 235 calories, Carbohydrate 51 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 51 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium
POACHED PEARS WITH GINGER AND PORT
Categories Fruit Ginger Dessert Poach Low Sodium Pear Port Spring Vegan Gourmet Fat Free Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Serves 2
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Peel gingerroot and slice thin. Cut slices into thin strips and in a saucepan simmer in 1 quart water 10 minutes. Drain gingerroot and discard water.
- In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears lying on their sides bring 3 cups water to boil with gingerroot, sugar, Port, and lemon juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and cut a thin slice from bottom of each if necessary to enable pears to stand upright when served. Arrange pears on their sides in poaching liquid, adding enough of remaining water as necessary to just cover. Simmer pears, turning them occasionally, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness. Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 3/4 cup and slightly syrupy. Pour sauce over pears. Pears may be made 1 day ahead and cooled in sauce before being chilled, covered. Serve pears warm or chilled.
POACHED PEARS
Choose perfectly ripe pears for this poached pear recipe; if they're overripe, they will be too soggy, and if they're underripe, they won't poach well. Bosc pears, which hold their shape well when baked or poached, have a sweet, tart flavor, but you can also use Anjou or Bartlett pears.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Peel the pears, and place in medium saucepan. Add wine, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, orange peel, lemon peel, cloves, star anise, bay leaf, and just enough water to cover pears.
- Set saucepan over high heat, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, occasionally stirring gently, over medium-low heat, until a paring knife easily pierces pears, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let pears cool in liquid.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a plate. Pour poaching liquid through a sieve set over a bowl. Discard solids, and return liquid to saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, and cook until liquid has been reduced to a syrup that coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 45 minutes. Let cool; store pears in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, arrange pears on a platter or on individual plates, and drizzle poaching liquid over them.
Tips:
- Choose ripe but firm pears for poaching. This will help them hold their shape and prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent the pears from sticking to the bottom and burning.
- Add a splash of lemon juice to the poaching liquid to help preserve the pears' color and prevent them from browning.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the pears from the poaching liquid. This will help prevent them from breaking.
- Serve the pears warm or chilled, with the poaching liquid drizzled over top. You can also garnish them with whipped cream, ice cream, or a sprinkle of chopped nuts.
Conclusion:
Poached pears in port are a classic dessert that is easy to make and always impressive. With their deep red color and rich, flavorful sauce, they are sure to be a hit at your next dinner party or holiday gathering.
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