I have always wanted to try poached pear and finally got down to making some. These can be used to make individual poached pear strudels, elegant and delicious. Here’s the recipe from Anna Olson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Makes 6 small strudels)

Ingredients

For the poached pears

  • 600g caster sugar
  • 6 pears, peeled, halved and cored
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 bottle red wine (I used a Shiraz)

For assembly

  • 100g unsalted butter, melted
  • 12 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed completely
  • 0.5 cup almond, lightly toasted and chopped
  • 1 egg, for egg washing
  • 2tbsp sugar tossed with 0.25tsp cinnamon powder

Method

For poaching pears

  1. In a pot, bring wine, sugar, star anise and cinammon sticks to a simmer.
  2. Add the pears and place a parchment paper directly on time of the surface of the liquid and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
  3. The pears are ready when they pierce readily with a fork.
  4. Allow the pears to cool completely in the liquid and leave to chill in fridge, preferably overnight.

To assemble

  1. Preheat the oven at 190 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Strain the pears and the precious poaching liquid can be saved and made into sorbet.
  3. One clean work surface, lay out a sheet of phyllo pastry and brush the surface generously with melted butter. Place a second, third and fourth sheet of phyllo, brushing the tops of each layer with butter. Cut the phyllo in half.
  4. Place 2 pieces of poached pears on one end of the phyllo and wrap into a parcel.
  5. Place these seam-side down onto the baking tray.
  6. Brush the top of the strudels with egg wash and sprinkle the top of the strudels with the cinnamon sugar mix.
  7. Bake the strudels for about 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
  8. Simmer a ladle of the poaching liquid in a small pot until the sauce thickens.
  9. Slice the strudels at an angle and serve with a drizzle of the thickened sauce.

These are good to serve as an elegant after dinner dessert and not too heavy too. The poaching liquid freezes well as a sorbet though it was too sweet for my liking.