Ingredients
- 1 medium (180g) pear
- ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
- ½ cup (125ml) water
- 1 litre nut-flavoured ice-cream
- Poached pears
- 2 cups (500ml) red wine
- 2 cups (500ml) water
- ½ cup (125ml) Cointreau
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways
- 4 strips orange peel
- ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
- 6 medium (1kg) pears
Directions
Slice the unpeeled pear very thinly. Preheat the oven to very slow (120°C).
Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan; stir over the heat, without boiling, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Add the pear slices to syrup, simmer for about 5 minutes or until the pear is just tender, drain.
Arrange pear slices in a single layer on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Bake in very slow oven for about 1½ hours, turning occasionally, or until dried. Cool.
For the poached pears, place wine, water, liqueur, vanilla bean, orange peel and sugar in a medium pan; stir over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil. Peel pears, add to the pan and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour or until pears are tender.
Remove the pears from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Boil the remaining syrup, uncovered, until reduced by half. If the syrup is too sweet, add a little lemon juice to taste.
Strain syrup over the pears; refrigerate until cold.
Scoop the ice-cream out and place on an oven tray covered with plastic wrap. Freeze for an hour or until firm.
Stand the pears at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Serve the pears and syrup with the ice-cream and pear crisps.
Not suitable to freeze. Pears in syrup suitable to microwave.
