About the Recipe
This cozy dessert has a focus on the fruits and warm spices. Quick and simple to make!
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups dry red wine or cranberry juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried cherries
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 whole star anise
1 dried Sichuan peppercorn, optional
4 ripe Bosc pears
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Fresh blackberries
Sweetened whipped cream, optional
Preparation
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, mix wine, brown sugar, cherries, cinnamon, star anise and, if desired, peppercorn until blended. Peel and cut pears lengthwise in half. Remove cores, leaving a small well in the center of each. Arrange pears in wine mixture.
Cook, covered, on low 4-5 hours or until pears are almost tender. Discard star anise and peppercorn.
Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth.
To serve, remove pears to dessert dishes; drizzle with some of the poaching liquid. Spoon ganache into wells of pears. Top with pine nuts and blackberries. If desired, serve with whipped cream.