Wine-Poached Pears

The naturally sweet taste of ripe pears is mixed with the rich tastes of red wine and warm spices to make this elegant dessert. You can serve these wine-poached pears to guests or just have a cozy night in.

Ingredients:

• 4 firm ripe pears, peeled and halved
• 1 bottle red wine such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, combine the red wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and vanilla bean seeds

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves

Add the pear halves to the saucepan, ensuring they are submerged in the wine mixture

Simmer the pears gently for 20-25 minutes, or until they are tender but still hold their shape

Remove the saucepan from heat and let the pears cool in the wine mixture

Once cooled, carefully transfer the pears to a serving dish

Strain the wine mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan

Return the saucepan to medium heat and simmer the wine mixture until it thickens slightly, about 10-15 minutes

Pour the reduced wine syrup over the poached pears

Serve the wine-poached pears warm or chilled, drizzled with additional syrup if desired