Rioja poached pears and blackberries with bay leaf custard
This is a simple twist on the classic dessert of pears poached in spiced red wine using Rioja, in-season blackberries and a bay-infused custard.
Ingredients
Rioja Poached Pears
- 750ml of Rioja
- 2 strips of lemon peel
- 2 strips of orange peel
- 300g of caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 Williams pears , peeled, stem on and base trimmed
- 8 blackberries , cut in half
Bay leaf custard
- 3 bay leaves
- 350ml of whole milk
- 150ml of double cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 50g of cane sugar
Method
First, infuse the milk and cream with the bay leaves. Add the bay leaves, milk and cream to a pan and bring it to just under the boil. Turn off the heat and then cover the pan and leave the milk mixture to infuse for at least half an hour
- 3 bay leaves
- 350ml of whole milk
- 150ml of double cream
Combine the wine with the lemon, orange, sugar, vanilla pod, star anise and cinnamon stick in a large pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar
- 750ml of Rioja
- 2 strips of lemon peel
- 2 strips of orange peel
- 300g of caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
Add the pears and poach them in the barely simmering red wine for 10 minutes, or until soft when tested with a toothpick
- 4 Williams pears , peeled, stem on and base trimmed
Remove the pears from the red wine and set aside
Turn up the heat to high and reduce the syrup by three quarters. Turn off the heat and set aside
To make the custard, first whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl
- 3 egg yolks
- 50g of cane sugar
Remove the bay leaves from the milk mixture. Gradually pour the milk mixture over the egg yolks, whisking constantly
Return the mixture to the pan and place over a gentle heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens
To serve, divide some custard between 4 bowls and top each with a pear. Drizzle each bowl with the red wine syrup, and garnish them with the fresh blackberries
- 8 blackberries , cut in half
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Rioja poached pears and blackberries with bay leaf custard
