Poached Pear in Madeira Cream

Prep. Time: 20 min. (For 4 Servings)

Ingredients

• 4 firm cooking pears
• 2 cups Madeira wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick

For cream:
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Madeira wine

Method:

1. Peel and core the pears through the bottom, leaving the stem intact.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the wine, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, to incorporate flavors and dissolve the sugar. Remove the cinnamon stick and reserve for garnish. Stand the pears upright in the saucepan. Cover and poach over low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the pears to cool, covered for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. When pears are nearly room temperature, gently remove them from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon. Set on a baking rack to drain.

4. Boil down the poaching mixture to reduced it's volume to about 1/2 or less. The wine liquid should be of a syrupy consistency. Set pears and syrup aside.

5. Unscrew the top off the dispenser, then screw on the tip of your choice while holding in place the valve stem under the cap. Be sure to screw the tip on tightly. Make sure that the gasket is firmly in place on the underside of the head.

6. Combine the cream, vanilla, powdered sugar, and Madeira in a mixing bowl. Pour this mixture into a siphon of the dispenser. Do not cross-thread. Place N2O cartridge in the holder with the small end visible. Twist charger holder onto head until gas is released.

7. Shake the dispenser 3-6 times. To serve, dispense the whipped Madeira cream into four shallow bowls. Place one pear upright in the center of each bowl. Spoon the Madeira syrup over the pear and cream. Garnish with the cinnamon stick, if desired.