Poached Pears in Honey, Ginger, and Cinnamon Syrup

Name: Poached Pears in Honey, Ginger, and Cinnamon Syrup
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sugar; 1 (750 ml) bottle Moscato wine or other sweet dessert wine; 2 cinnamon sticks; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 (3/4-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise; 6 small, firm, ripe Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled and cored; Vanilla ice cream or gelato

December 20, 2011

Moscato is not well known in this country, but this sweet, fizzy wine is very often served at the end of Italian meals along with dessert or just some cheese and fruit. Here I use it to poach beautiful whole pears; the cinnamon poaching liquid is then reduced to a syrup. It’s the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving dinner because it’s not too sweet or too heavy, and it’s absolutely gorgeous on the plate—not to mention how it fills the whole house with holiday fragrance. Serve flutes of chilled Moscato alongside for a very elegant finish to a fancy meal.

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