Wine Poached Pears are simple yet so elegant and perfect to show off at any party. Simmering pears in red wine and some spices enhances the sweetness of the fruit and adds warm flavor. Wine poached pear takes some time as you want to slow cook but overall it is very effortless.
Poached pears are perfect Fall desserts, and you don’t have to restrict to wine. Although, wine poached pear does have its charm.
Wine Poached Pear is a classic French dessert, and I believe it started as a way to enjoy unripe pears. A great way to maximize their harvest without wasting or throwing away unripe fruits.
I love to serve it mildly warm and then topped it with reduced red wine sauce and some whipped cream. You can make it extra special by adding mascarpone cheese too.
What Pears are best for Wine Poached Pear
I personally prefer Bosc Pears for two different reason.
- The texture is smooth and not too fibrous. It is dense and crunchy. Makes it easy to cut through and melts in the mouth at every bite.
- The shape is gorgeous and stands tall when served. Looks utterly incredible, like a showstopper dessert.
KEY POINT – You want to pick pears that are not over ripe. As the pears poach for a while in the spiced liquid, it will cook and soften. So you definitely don’t want the over ripe ones.
Just feel the pears and it should feel firm. Also, the skin should be smooth. Wrinkled skin means over ripe pears.
Wine selection for Wine Poached Pears
Preferably fruit-forward red wine. I used Merlot. But if you are using lots of whole spices for the aroma then go for any good red wine, something not too expensive, probably.
It is said that Zinfandel, Shiraz, or Merlot works best. I prefer Merlot!
Spices used:
Star Anise
Cloves
Bay leaves
Cinnamon Sticks
Cardamoms
The Red Wine Sauce
After the pears are poached to the perfect texture, I take it out and reduce the sauce further, add little butter to turn into this delicious red wine sauce.
The red wine sauce is not only delicious on the poached pear, you can also save it and use it with grilled steak.
What other sauce can be used ?
Instead of reducing the red wine, you can strain it and drink it as warm mulled wine.
A simple chocolate sauce works great too on wine poached pears.
How to use poached pear?
You can enjoy it as it with whipped cream or mascarpone cheese.
Poached pears are great with waffles or pancakes.
You can also use the poached pears on chocolate cake. Here is a recipe you can try.
This Holiday Season, wow yours friends and family with this simple but gorgeous looking dessert. You won’t believe how easy and flavorful this dessert is, until you give it a try!
Wine poached Pear with Chocolate and Mint sauce
Ingredients
- 4 ripe and firm pears, I used bosc pears
- 1-1/2 cup red wine, I used Merlot
- 1/2 cup white/brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- few cardamoms
- 2 tablespoons butter (this is for the red wine sauce)
Instructions
- Peel the pears and try to retain the stem.
- In a sauce pan big enough to fit all the pears, pour the wine, lemon juice, vanilla extract along with sugar and all the whole spices. Bring it to boil and then bring down the heat to let it simmers for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, gently place the pears and let it simmer in medium low heat for 15 minutes.
- Toss the pear to the other side very gently and let it continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Gently poke the pear with a knife. If it feels soft, it is ready.
- Carefully remove the pears to a serving plate.
- Continue simmering the wine until it's reduced a lot. When it starts to look sauce like consistency, add the butter and whisk. The butter will add a creamy, rich taste to the wine poached pear.
- Strain the sauce to a serving cup.
- Whipped heavy cream or mascarpone cheese to serve along with the wine poached pear and red wine sauce.
Notes
You can poach pears in advance and let it refrigerate for a couple of days. You can either serve it cold or boil the sauce for 2 minutes and serve it warm. If you don't like wine, you can use pomegranate juice or cranberry juice, and that will give the gorgeous red color. If you however don't care for color you can choose any citrus juice.
56 Comments
Grishma
February 15, 2012 at 8:30 PMKankana, it’s just perfectly gorgeous! Today only i bought some fabulous pears thinking will make poached pear and here u r with this delicious looking poached pears! Making it very soon babe! Thank u!
BTW what can I use to substitute red wine?
Kankana Saxena
February 15, 2012 at 8:34 PMThanks 🙂 If you are looking for color use cranberry juice or pomegranate juice but if you don’t care for the red color.. use any fruit juice you like or vanilla with water. Hope this helps babe. Let me know hoe it turns out 🙂
Grishma
February 15, 2012 at 8:37 PMAahh make sense! And yes it helps. Will let u know once I make it. Thanks!
Ambika
February 15, 2012 at 8:33 PMAbsolutely gorgeous poached pears! I have been seeing these for a while and have been wanting to try them! We also like it quiet and cozy, I cooked up a Indo-Chinese meal for hubby dear and happily ate at home, no dessert trouble because he doesn’t really have a sweet tooth! I also need to try out mint and chocolate together, its not one of my favorites either. I only like the breath mints at olive garden :D, nothing more than that!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
February 15, 2012 at 8:45 PMLove the gorgeous color the wine gives the pears.
Nami | Just One Cookbook
February 15, 2012 at 8:47 PMI honestly didn’t know poached pear is this easy. It always looks fancy so I assume it requires some technique or special skills. I’ll need to try with wine for my husband and maybe if it’s too much alcohol taste, I use the method you just answered in earlier comment. That way kids and I can share. 🙂 I like the chocolate sauce pouring on the pear. The plate is small, so you only had a few seconds to take a perfect shot before overflowing from the plate…and you nailed it! 😉
Liren
February 15, 2012 at 9:30 PMI agree that Valentines is all the more sweet when celebrated at home! It has always been like that for us, even before the kids and the difficulty of finding a sitter presented itself. These pears are just jewels under your hands…you make it look so easy! And gorgeous!
Amy Tong
February 15, 2012 at 9:45 PMLooks lovely. I’ve never made poached pear before and it sound super easy and delicious. The mint chocolate sauce sounds wonderful with these pears too. Love your photography! Simply stunning. 🙂
Reem | Simply Reem
February 15, 2012 at 9:50 PMI totally agree with you, Valentine and eating out is a combination for stress…
B/W with 2 kids we prefer celebrating low key…
Reem | Simply Reem
February 15, 2012 at 9:52 PMOpps sorry pressed enter in mid… LOL
These pears look fantastic, i have to agree with nami, with juice or flavored water kids can share them too…
Lovely pics babes…
Kulsum at JourneyKitchen
February 15, 2012 at 10:20 PMLove the color here! So pretty.
Maja
February 15, 2012 at 10:39 PMOh my God, Kanakana, this looks truly spectacular: nothing can beat this fancy dessert, pears and red wine 🙂 I love the sauce, too!
I love your photos, they are truly amazing!
kisses
Rosa
February 15, 2012 at 10:46 PMA gorgeous dessert! I love poached pears. Lovely color.
We keep Valentine’s Day low key and always stay home.
Cheers,
Rosa
Medeja
February 16, 2012 at 12:44 AMThat is something I always wanted to try 🙂
Rose ( Magpie's Recipes)
February 16, 2012 at 12:55 AMHow pretty is that?! happy Vday girl! So waiting to see you and the others 🙂
Soni
February 16, 2012 at 2:37 AMI also make poached pears,aren’t they just fantastic!! But haven’t tried them with the chocolate sauce.Sure looks delicious!!
Joanne
February 16, 2012 at 4:42 AMI don’t typically LOVE V-Day but a day dedicated to decadent desserts? I’ll take it! This looks SO good.
Soma
February 16, 2012 at 5:35 AMHappy Valentine’s Day. Poached pears are one of our fave. and easiest desserts to make. Love it. Beautiful photographs Kankana.
sally
February 16, 2012 at 7:12 AMWhat a beautiful dessert! It looks perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Jeno @ Week Nite Meals
February 16, 2012 at 7:50 AMAwww, it’s so sweet that your husband brought your favorite flowers to celebrate V-Day! The poached pears turned out absolutely gorgeous, I am not a big fan of mint and chocolate, though I am sure it was a wonderful combination with the pears. Thank you for sharing, as always, I love looking at your photography works!
Priya
February 16, 2012 at 8:13 AMHappy pear couple, celebrating the Valentines day!
So wet and wild…I’m left alone infront of my computer with a great treat for eyes, a longing taste buds and sweet tooth. Food porn, like prerna says, is an apt word!
Vijitha
February 16, 2012 at 9:34 AMI have been wanting to try this dessert for a long time. But kept it for the future days. Sounds simple and easy na? Gorgeous clicks. I loved the pears with a rustic backdrop the most. See you soon. Hugs!
nipponnin
February 16, 2012 at 10:43 AMAbsolutely fantastic and sophisticate looking! You are so good!
Charles
February 16, 2012 at 10:58 AMHi Kankana, I love poached pears – I find reducing the remaining wine with extra sugar to create a thick wine syrup, and pouring in a bit of cream on top at the end makes an amazing sauce as well, though I love the idea of chocolate and mint sauce too. I think chocolate alone would be quite rich, but with the added “freshness” of the mint it must be a wonderful combination!
mustardseed
February 16, 2012 at 6:23 PMThis looks so elegant! Love the color and that chocolate!!
[email protected]'s Recipes
February 16, 2012 at 9:36 PMWhat a fabulous dessert! My husband loves pears, but usually just eating them raw…must try to make some desserts for him next time.
Chrissy
February 16, 2012 at 11:08 PMCongrats on top 9, also! Yay for our red wine-poached pears! Love the chocolate sauce on yours. I was strongly debating this, so now I am so excited for this version the next time I make this ridiculously good dessert. 🙂
Jennifer (Delicieux)
February 17, 2012 at 1:24 AMI love poached pears…that red colour the wine has given them is just so gorgeous! And that photo of your chocolate mint sauce is just so beautiful.
nisha
February 17, 2012 at 4:22 AMi absolutely agree…its one of the easiest desserts possible..i love how the mulled spices mix in with the wine..lovely pics as usual 🙂
And lilies…used 2 be my fav, till the pollen started staining my pretty table cloth and such :O
Kitchen Belleicious
February 17, 2012 at 4:36 AMUmmm. DROOOL! My keyboard is all wet now! Wow, those pears look amazing and I love the combo of chocolate and pears. Can’t be beat! Great recipe and job and as always the pictures are phenomenal.
Tes
February 17, 2012 at 5:43 AMWhat a beautiful dish, Kankana! Your pear looks really perfect 🙂
Deepa
February 17, 2012 at 6:22 AMYou are killing me with these gorgeous looking pears !! seriously drool worthy pictures..
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
Matt @ RecipeLion
February 17, 2012 at 6:38 AMThis dessert looks great! I would love it if you linked up this recipe to my blog hop for a chance to win a cookbook prize package: http://bit.ly/wJSl1h
Purabi Naha
February 17, 2012 at 7:12 AMHey Kankana, just buzzed this to 97. Congrats on being at Top 9 once again! This really looks so so so tempting! Well-deserved success!
Nancy/SpicieFoodie
February 17, 2012 at 7:21 AMThey turned out beautiful. I also posted poached pears this past Sunday. But I love how your red wine ones look. Congrats on the Foodbuzz top 9!
sukanya ramkumar
February 17, 2012 at 9:19 AMNice pic… Congrats on ur success. Perfect clicks!!!!
Divya Yadava
February 17, 2012 at 10:22 AMLove the idea of pouring chocolate on top of poached pears. I usually poach my pears in herbal tea for a milder flavour, but wine sounds awesome too! Congrats on top 9.
[email protected]
February 17, 2012 at 10:51 AMThis sounds great! I love poached pears but it’s so hard to make it properly >_< Congrats for being Top 9!
Sukanya
February 17, 2012 at 11:04 AMOh,dear this is just a fantastic and real fancy dessert, I love poaching the pears in wine too or sometime in amaretto, but never try pouring chocolate over it, guess it will make decadent, and rich
we too prefer to make Vday low key, baked an Oreo Cheesecake for us, just posted it.
Magic of Spice
February 17, 2012 at 11:25 AMI adore poached pears…delicious and elegant!
rebecca
February 17, 2012 at 4:22 PMwow stunning 🙂 first class and adore the way you celebrated
Tina (PinayInTexas)
February 18, 2012 at 8:35 PMSimple but very attractive, Kankana! Just the perfect dessert for a lovely occasion!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
February 20, 2012 at 10:17 AMWhat an elegant but easy dessert, Kankana! This looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing. You have a lovely blog and I’m glad to have found you!
Malli
February 20, 2012 at 11:26 AMWhat a delicious poached pear dessert…looks awesome and tempting!
Asmita
February 20, 2012 at 4:36 PMHi Kankana,
This looks like a gorgeous dessert. Very elegant and love the idea of chocolate sauce over the poached pears. As usual, your photographs are beautiful!!!
sweetsugarbelle
February 20, 2012 at 4:37 PMThis is stunning!
[email protected]
February 21, 2012 at 5:49 AMVery lovely pear recipe and pictures. Dreamy. I love chocolate sauce and I love pears. Beautiful blog.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
February 21, 2012 at 12:50 PMDreamy chocolate perfectly paired with poached pears — I don’t know how did I missed this recipe 😀
foodwanderings
February 21, 2012 at 5:16 PMSimply elegant! Pinned my friend & I believe retweeted too!! Great post!
Sara{OneTribeGourmet}
February 21, 2012 at 8:05 PMWonderful delicious dessert! Love your photography!
Sawsan @ chef in disguise
February 23, 2012 at 12:37 PMI was going to ask if I can do this without the wine and I am really thankful you answered this in the first comment.
This looks like an elegant dessert and yet it is so simple.
Thank you for sharing and for the amazing pictures Kankana
Namitha
February 23, 2012 at 2:41 PMThough I’m not a big fan of poached pears,your pictures are making me want to have them 🙂 Such an elegant dessert,K
Baker Street
February 25, 2012 at 1:07 AMI LOVE the shot of chocolate being poured over! Absolutely gorgeous.
Ananda Rajashekar
March 5, 2012 at 9:16 AMBackground stoles and min, complements the dessert so well, just gorgeous!
Athena
March 18, 2012 at 7:36 AMI’ve never had poached pear but i really love the idea of pouring mint-infused chocolate on fruit. Yours looks beautiful!
Kajal
April 23, 2012 at 8:47 PMThis looks amazing!! Poached Pears are SO classy and yet so delish!