This is a great late fall dessert that is easy to make and can be made several days in advance. Choose pears that are firm, but yield just slightly when pressed. The best varieties for this dessert are Bosc or Barlett pears. Serve with a semi-dry or late harvest white wine such as Fenn Valley Riesling or Late Harvest Vignoles.
- 6 firm, ripe pears - about 8 ounces each
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 bottle Lakeshore Demi-Sec or other semi-dry white wine (about 3 cups)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 8 strips zest from 1 lemon (Use a vegetable peeler, avoid the white pith)
- 8 sprigs fresh mint
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
Peel, halve, and core the pears, using a spoon to remove the core from the pear halves. Immerse the prepared pears in a bowl of water that contains the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Bring the remaining ingredients (wine through cinnamon) to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely.
Drain the pears, discarding the lemon water, and add to the wine mixture. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10-20 minutes, or until the pears can be pierced easily with a toothpick.
Transfer the fruit to a shallow casserole dish with a slotted spoon. Return the syrup to medium heat and simmer until it is reduced to 1¼-1½ cups and is slightly thickened (15 minutes). Strain the syrup through a fine‑mesh strainer, then pour over the pears. Discard the solids. Refrigerate the pears at least 2 hours until well chilled or up to 3 days. To serve, spoon portions of fruit and syrup into individual bowls.
Serves 6
No comments:
Post a Comment