Chocolate Hearts and Wine Poached Pears
A delicious chocolate and wine treat to celebrate Valentine’s Day
Poached Pear Ingredients:
4 each Bartlett or Bosc pears
3 cups (24 oz.) sweet red wine
3 cups (24 oz.) dry red wine (table red or merlot or cabernet sauvignon)
¼ cup (2 oz.) brandy
1 ½ cups honey
3 each cinnamon sticks
6 each whole cloves
2 each oranges, sliced
Poached Pear Directions:
Combine wines, honey, oranges, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a large sauce pan and heat on low. Peel pears of all skin. Cut pears in half, keeping part of the stem on each half of the pear. Remove the core from each half and place in the warm wine poaching liquid. Hold the liquid around 180 degrees F and poach pear halves until al dente, about 3-5 minutes, flipping as needed. Remove from liquid and allow pears to cool. Reduce the poaching liquid by heating until it appears that half of the poaching liquid remains. Remove the aromatics from the poaching liquid by straining. Cool the liquid slightly and serve over pear halves. Garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and your favorite pieces of chocolate.
Like this recipe? Chef Char teaches cooking classes at Kitchen 242 in the downtown Muskegon Farmers Market. Tickets to classes can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/d/mi--muskegon/chef-char/ Follow Chef Char on Facebook for other recipes and updates on class offerings. https://www.facebook.com/chefcharmorse .
