Red Wine Poached Pear with Crumble and Chocolate Sauce

Rich poached pear serve with crumble topping gives it a lovely crunch. The syrup I stumbed upon accidentally as I forgot to turn off the stove and tasted what was left in the pot as it was thick and shiny and it was delicious so went straight on the menu.

Ingredients – serves 4

Make sure you have baking paper for this recipe.

4 Pears suitable for poaching – Like a Bosc for example

1litre of Red wine – It doesn’t have to be expensive

300g Caster sugar (A)

40g Slithered Almonds

40g Desiccated coconut

100g Caster sugar (B)

100g Plain flour

100g Butter

20g Cinnamon

Optional for serving: chocolate sauce using cream and melted chocolate combined, your choice of ice cream or orange blossom yoghurt. In the picture those are the extra bits I have used.

Method

1. 1. Peel and decore the pears and add to the wine and caster sugar (A) in a pot.
2. 2. Slowly bring the liquid up to poaching point but not boiling then carefully put a baking paper cover on top and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. 3. Turn the pears so they get an even cook and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
4. 4. Remove the pears and set aside until you need them. Now reduce the liquid to a syrup and set this aside until serving.
5. 5. Meanwhile make the crumble.
6. 6. Firstly, toast the slithered almonds and coconut until they just start to darken in colour.
7. 7. Either by rubbing in or in a food processor mix the butter, flour and caster sugar (B).
8. 8. Mix in the almonds, coconut and cinnamon.
9. 9. Toast the whole mixture in the oven until golden brown and store in an air tight container.

Serving

Reheat the pears quickly in the microwave or oven. Spread your sauces and crumble on the base of the plate and add the pear on top.

Coat the pear with the syrup and pour some extra around the plate. Make sure you taste the syrup first to make sure you know how much you need as this will vary dependant on your wine.