Vanilla & Riesling Poached Pears

What You Need:

500ml Riesling

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 cinnamon stick

peel from one lemon

8 Bosc pears

300ml softly whipped cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp icing sugar

What You Do:

1. Put all ingredients except the pears in a big wide pot and bring to a boil stirring for a few minutes to dissolve sugar, then reduce to a simmer.
2. In the meantime carefully peel your pears then put all together into the simmering liquid, if they are not fully covered add equal quantities of water and wine to cover them. Leave to cook for about 10 minutes if you have ripe pears, 20 minutes for almost ripe pears and 35 minutes for rock hard.
3. Test for doneness by piercing one (make it yours for later) pear to ensure the point of a knife pierces easily into just soft but not mushy pear flesh.
4. Once the pears are cooked, remove carefully with a slotted spoon and put in a container, standing upright.
5. Next boil the poaching liquid for 30-40 minutes until it is reduced to an aromatic syrup. the good thing about this dessert is that it is equally nice in winter or summer as you can serve the pears warm, room temperature or cold with whipped vanilla cream (add 1 tsp vanilla paste and 1 tbsp icing sugar to 300ml softly whipped cream) and/or vanilla bean ice -cream.

Serves 8

{Photos and Recipe from: From the Kitchen}