Poached Pears Grape Juice (Print Version)
Tender pears gently simmered in aromatic grape juice with cinnamon and vanilla.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 4 ripe but firm pears, Bosc or Anjou recommended, peeled, halved, and cored
→ Poaching Liquid
02 - 3 cups red or white grape juice
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar, optional to taste
04 - 1 cinnamon stick
05 - 2 strips lemon zest from 1 lemon
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Garnish
07 - Fresh mint leaves
08 - Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
# Directions:
01 - In a large saucepan, combine grape juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves completely.
02 - Add pear halves to the simmering liquid. Reduce heat to low, cover, and poach for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally until tender but not falling apart.
03 - Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the pears to a serving dish, leaving the poaching liquid in the pan.
04 - Increase heat and simmer the poaching liquid uncovered for 5-7 minutes until slightly reduced and syrupy in consistency.
05 - Pour warm syrup over the pears. Let cool to room temperature or chill in refrigerator before serving.
06 - Serve pears with grape syrup drizzled over the top. Garnish with fresh mint, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream if desired.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- Its the kind of dessert that makes people think you spent hours when really it was mostly hands-off time
- The grape syrup is so good youll want to spoon it over everything from ice cream to morning yogurt
02 -
- Overcooking happens faster than you think, so start checking tenderness around the 18 minute mark
- The pears continue absorbing flavor as they sit in the syrup, so making them a day ahead actually improves everything
03 -
- Tuck a few whole cloves or a star anise into the poaching liquid if you want to layer in more spice notes
- Reserve any leftover syrup, it keeps for weeks and transforms plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream into something special