It looks like the weekend is going to be cold and wet – winter has arrived! So instead of heading out and having to bare it all, why not entertain at home! And I’ve got the perfect recipe to finish a warming meal using seasonal pears, which are just coming in for winter and can be incorporated into all kinds of meals these coming months.

This one is thanks to our good friends at the Monday Morning Cooking Club. The classic poached pear, with familiar flavours like vanilla – just perfect for this chilly weather!

I tweaked it ever so slightly by halving the amount of sugar in the recipe and it was still delicious! Makes it a little more guilt-free for dessert so you can add a dollop of ice cream (of course!), or good enough to top on your morning muesli.

You’ll need:

2 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
1 cup of white wine
5 fried bay leaves
1 vanilla bean, split
6 Beurre Bosc brown pears, peeled and left whole

Combine all the ingredients, except the pears, in a saucepan large enough to fit all the pears standing upright in a single layer. Bring to the boil. Add the pears, ensuring they are all submerged. It is useful to cover them with baking paper and place a plate on top that won’t squash the pears, but will gently keep them submerged. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Remove the lid and continue to simmer on a very low heat (the lowest setting possible) for 3 hours until the juices reduce to a syrupy caramel, basting the pears carefully from time to time. The pears can also be cooked in the oven on 150°C for 3 hours after the first hour on the stovetop.

Serve with ice-cream or crème fraichè for a warm wintery dessert, or add slices to the top of your morning bowl of oats or muesli and yogurt.

Enjoy & stay warm this weekend!

Recipe: Poached Pears