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Poached Pears in Muscat Wine





Yields
Serves 12



Total Time
1 hr 45 mins

Cooking the pears in delicately floral Muscat wine makes for a light, elegant dessert--and leaves plenty of room for friends' pies, says Cindy Daniel of Healdsburg Shed in Northern California.

su-Poached Pears in Muscat Wine Image




Photo: Thomas J. Story
 6 firm Bosc pears (3 to 4 lbs. total)
 1 bottle (750 ml.) Muscat dessert wine, such as Electra
 1 cup sugar
 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise
 3 containers (8 oz. each) crème fraîche
  Rose geranium or mint leaves
Step 1
1

Peel pears, halve lengthwise (leaving stems on half of pieces), and core.

Step 2
2

Put pears in a 5- to 6-qt. pot. Add wine and sugar. Scrape seeds from vanilla pod into pot, then add pod and water to barely cover pears (3 to 4 1/2 cups).

Step 3
3

Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat; then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until pears are as soft as butter when pierced with a knife, 30 minutes.

Step 4
4

With a slotted spoon, transfer pears from pot to a large, wide bowl. Boil syrup, uncovered, over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups, 30 to 35 minutes; reduce heat if pan starts to scorch. Pour syrup over pears.

Step 5
5

Spoon 1/4 cup crème fraîche into each dessert bowl and add a pear half to each. Stir syrup and drizzle over pears. Tuck in rose geranium leaves.

Step 6
6

Make ahead: Through step 4, up to 1 day, chilled airtight.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0

Amount Per Serving
Calories 394Calories from Fat 51
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 14g70%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 7.1mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 46g16%

Dietary Fiber 3.8g16%
Protein 2.6g6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.