Vanilla Poached Pears

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

Show: Good EatsEpisode: My Pod

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (13)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(13)

Cook Time:
55 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr 0 min
Cook: 55 min
Total:: 2 hr 5 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle white wine, Riesling or Viognier
1 cup water
5 ounces vanilla sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 firm Bartlett, Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled leaving the stem intact

Directions

Place the white wine, water, sugar and vanilla bean and pulp into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

Core the pears from the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and place in the refrigerator.

Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, increase the heat to high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup of liquid, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the syrup to turn brown. Place the syrup in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool, approximately 1 hour.

Remove the pears from the refrigerator, spoon the sauce over the pears and serve.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Vanilla Poached Pears in Fruit Juice

Similar Recipes

Recipes Like This

All About…

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-10 of 55

View all 55 Dessert Collections

Comments & Reviews

recipe Vanilla Poached Pears
Nadia Eugene, OR 11-14-2009
Flag

party pleaser
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this dish for a potluck and it amazing. Folks loved it!. I made a few changes to enhance the presentation.... After... cooking the pears in the sauce, I let them cool and cut them in half, poured the reduction over them and baked them a bit longer. I served the pears with candied pecans and bourbon vanilla whipped cream. The presentation was beautiful and the flavors were wonderful. This will be a regular addition to any fall/winter party. Read more
recipe Vanilla Poached Pears
Rachel Cincinnati, OH 10-08-2008
Flag

Carmel like sauce without the fat!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this dessert for some ladies who are all watching their fat intake and it was absolutely wonderful! I reduced the... poaching liquid and then added a little corn starch to thicken it. The Pears I wedged into quarters and topped with frozen vanilla yogurt and then the sauce. It has become a favorite around here!Read more
recipe Vanilla Poached Pears
LeAnn El Paso, TX 12-22-2007
Flag

amazing dessert
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We made this at home first, then as a Christmas gift for friends. Even the people who said they weren't fruit eaters LOVED... it.Read more
recipe Vanilla Poached Pears
Christina Belmont, MA 12-01-2007
Flag

Easy and Elegant
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My fiance made this recipe for Thanksgiving, and it received high praise. Easy to prepare, it provides a sophisticated and... elegant presentation. The decadent vanilla flavor and aroma would make this a good choice for date nights as well.Read more
recipe Vanilla Poached Pears
Patrick Madison, WI 04-05-2007
Flag

Great Pears
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I had trouble getting the sauce to the right thickness, but it was all still delicious.
recipe Vanilla Poached Pears
Anonymous 03-20-2007
Flag

Great for those with gluten/lactose intolerance!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have a dear friend who cannot eat any gluten or dairy. It's always a challenge to come up with dessert when she joins me... for dinner. I made these delicious pears (Whole Foods has vanilla sugar) and served it with dairy-free whipped topping (French Vanilla Cool Whip, I believe). The results looked very fancy and elegant, yet couldn't have been easier!Read more