Pears in Mulled Wine
Alcoholic
Desserts
Food
Dairy-free
Gluten-free
Vegetarian
Emma Macdonald, The Bay Tree in Somerset
6 Servings
Ingredients
1kg (6) firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered
325ml red wine
500g granulated sugar
1 lemon, grated zest and juice
1 mulled wine spice bundle (2 cinnamon sticks, 1 whole nutmeg, 2 dried orange slices, 2 whole star anise, 6 whole cloves, 1 Indonesian vanilla pod, 1 bay leaf)
1 star anise
Method
- Put pears in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Drain well.
- Sterilise a 1 Ltr preserving jar.
- Put wine, sugar, lemon, mulled wine bundle, star anise and 1 cup of water in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Add pears and simmer for about 5 minutes or until tender.
- Remove pears and pack into the warmed, sterilised jar.
- Remove mulled wine spice bundle from remaining liquid but leave star anise.
- Pour over the pears, covering completely. Leave a 1cm gap between the top of the liquid and the lid. Tap the jar lightly on the work surface to remove any air bubbles. Fit rubber band or metal lid and seal jar. If using a screwband jar, loosen by a quarter-turn.
- Label and leave to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator. Eat within 1 month.
- Best served by itself or with cold turkey.
