Red wine poached pears in puff pastry

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Tracing back to medieval Europe and ancient Rome, when cooks used spiced wine poaching to soften unripened autumn cooking pears, this elegant dessert is a winner if you’re out to impress.

Serves 4

Ingredients
• 4 small firm pears, peeled
• 750ml red wine
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 strips orange zest
• 1 sheet ready-rolled butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Method

1. Place the wine, sugar, cinnamon and orange zest in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Add the pears and cook gently for 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender. Leave to cool in the poaching liquid.
3. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
4. Cut four circles from the puff pastry, slightly larger than the bases of the pears, and place them on a lined baking tray or in ovenproof ramekins.
5. Stand a drained pear on each pastry round. Brush the pastry with beaten egg.
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
7. Reduce a little of the poaching liquid over medium heat until lightly syrupy.
8. Serve the pears warm with a drizzle of the red wine syrup and a dusting of icing sugar, if desired.

Tip: Delicious with crème fraîche, vanilla bean ice cream or mascarpone.