Poached pears with wine (or tea) sound like a fancy dessert, but they're actually super simple to make in about 30 minutes. Serve these on their own or overcheesecake, or bake them into a GF pear tart or GF pear cake.
Prep Time: 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesminutes
Total: 30 minutesminutes
Servings: 8pear halves
Ingredients
4medium, firm-ripe pears (such as Bosc), peeled, halved, cored
¾cup(165 g) organic granulated sugar
Tea-Poached Pears
3tablespoonsloose tea leaves(Earl Grey, black tea, or Jasmine)
4cups(950 ml) boiling water
1vanilla bean (or 2 scraped vanilla pods leftover from another recipe)
juice of 1 large lemon
Wine-Poached Pears
2cupsdry red or white wine(any that you like the flavor of)
2cupswater
1cinnamon stick
2whole allspice berries
2whole cloves
3strips of orange peel (orange part only)
Instructions
For Tea-Poached Pears
In a large, heatproof measuring pitcher, pour the boiling water over the tea leaves and let steep 5 minutes.
Strain the brewed tea into a wide skillet with high sides, or another large pot.
Add the sugar and vanilla pods and bring to a boil. Add the lemon juice.
For Wine-Poached Pears
In a wide skillet with high sides, or another large pot, combine the wine, sugar, water, spices, and orange peel and bring to a boil.
Both Recipes
Use a large spoon to lower the pears into the boiling liquid. The liquid should just cover the pears; if it doesn't add more water to cover them.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the pears until just tender but still holding a shape, 8-12 minutes, turning the pears over halfway through.
Storage
If using right away, remove the pears from the poaching liquid and serve warm. Otherwise, let the pears cool in their poaching liquid.
The pears can be stored in their poaching liquid in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 1 year.
When you're ready to serve the pears, remove them from the poaching liquid, return the liquid to a saucepan, and simmer the poaching liquid until thick and syrupy, 10-20 minutes.