Whole Poached Pears

​This stunning dessert will dazzle your guests after a heavy winter meal—or any meal. Whole pears are poached in tawny port and cranberry juice with dried cranberries, fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, allspice, and pink peppercorns to add flavor. The syrup alone is delicious over ice cream or just by itself. I enjoy desserts like this because they are refreshing, light, and make a great presentation.

My memory of pears will be forever linked to my parents' huge pear tree in the chicken yard at our family farm in Germany. I don't know what variety they are, but it was my job as a child to collect them when they fell from the tree and feed them to the pigs. They were stone hard and had no flavor or taste. After picking, we put them on a rack in the fruit cellar and by Christmas, the skin was all shriveled up. But when my grandfather peeled them and handed them to us, we tasted the juiciest most delicious fruit. They had ripened in the cellar. Nobody would buy them today because of their appearance, but the taste was unbelievable.

I used Bosc pears for this recipe, because they have an elegant neck and a nice stem. This is another old recipe from my beloved Gourmet magazine. I have made it many times over the years, and it always has been a hit. It’s delicious with whipped cream or ice cream.

I should have posted this recipe a while ago, but my brother and his wife are visiting from Germany and I am happy being a hostess. They are enjoying the sunny California weather and the beautiful Pacific coastline. I often forget that I live in such a beautiful place. I am taking them to different beaches for walks and ocean views. Their favorite place is the beach at sunset. Having my family around me makes me happy.

Here are two other pear desserts I love to make. One is a humble but delicious bundt cake and the other is a pear tart with an exquisite flavor and taste.

Preview recipe for Pear and Nut Cake

preview recipe for Almond and Pear Tart

Buy an extra pear (just in case) and make sure all of them have a stem and will stand up.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

6 ripe but firm Bosc pears
2 cups tawny port
3 cups cranberry juice
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup cup sugar
1 ( 2-inch ) fresh ginger
1 ( 2-inch) cinnamon stick
​2 ( 2-inch) pieces of orange peel
9 whole allspice kernels
1 TBS whole pink peppercorns

Directions:
​
​Choose a pot where all your pears can fit sideways. Slice the ginger into ¼-inch thick slices. Tie the peppercorns and allspice in a cheesecloth. Put all the ingredients (except the pears) in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, cut off the bottom of each pear so they can stand upright more easily when you serve them. Peel the pears carefully ( I use a peeler), leaving the stems intact. Carefully arrange the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid. Simmer, uncovered, until tender for about 20 minutes. 
Gently remove the pears with a slotted spoon from the liquid. Discard the cheesecloth bag, boil the poaching liquid until it is reduced to 1½ cups, between 5-10 minutes. Remove the ginger, cinnamon stick and orange peel. Serve the pears warm or at room temperature with the syrup. I served mine with ice cream.

Guten Appetit!
Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine
by ©Sunnycovechef