During the Holidays in the south of France (Provence), the French like to serve this dessert as a lighter alternative to the typical rich Christmas Buche de Noel.  This decadent recipe maximizes the pear's natural sweetness, combining it with a fruit-forward red wine and highlighting both with a touch of cinnamon and orange.  I would suggest you serve it with a scoop of vegan coconut or soy ice cream.  C'est si bon!

Print

Poires au Vin Rouge et a la Cannelle | Poached Pears in Red Wine with Cinnamon

Recipe by Alain Braux

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 Organic William Pears
  • *|For the poaching liquid:
  • 1 bottle of red wine (Merlot or similar wine)
  • 1 cup of filtered water
  • 4 oz  maple syrup
  • The juice of 1 organic orange
  • The peel of 1 organic orange
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

  1. 1. Prepare your poaching liquid first in a large saucepan. Mix the red wine, water, maple syrup, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon. Warm on low heat to allow the honey to melt, then bring to a gentle boil.
  2. 2. Meanwhile, peel the pears, keeping the tails on. With a melon baller or small teaspoon, scoop out a small portion off the bottom of the pear.
  3. 3. Place the pears gently in the poaching liquid. Bring back to simmer. Cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Check for doneness with the tip of the blade of a small knife. If needed, add a little more time but do not overcook as the pear will disintegrate.
  4. 4. Carefully remove the pears with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. Pour the poaching liquid over and let cool.
  5. 5. Serve some of the poaching liquid in individual dessert dishes, top with a pear and accompany each with a scoop of plant-based ice cream.

Notes

– You can also use the poaching liquid to create a wine Granita. To do so, pour the poaching liquid into a shallow pan and freeze for at least 2 hours.  Stir with a wire whisk or a fork and freeze again for one hour. Repeat until your granita is fully crystallized.
– Don’t worry about the alcohol content in the wine. It will evaporate and disappear during cooking. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

For more delicious naked recipes, visit the Naked Kitchen at Naked Food Magazine.

Want to share your plant-based recipe? Submit it here.