White wine poached pears with cardamom whipped cream

Ingredients:

Pears in wine

• 4 ripe pearseg Bartlett, Bere Bosc, Anjou or Sekel
• 1 bottle (750 ml) Riesling
• 2 tbsp. sugar

Cream with cardamom

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. ultrafine sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cradamon

Preparation:

1. Pour the Riesling into a medium saucepan and whisk in the sugar until completely dissolved.
2. Peel the pears, leaving the stems on if present. Peeled pears taste better.
3. Using a watermelon scoop, core the pears from the bottom. The peeled pears are ready for dessert.
4. Place peeled and cored pears immediately in the wine to prevent them from browning (the wine's acidity prevents them from browning). Add enough water to completely cover the pears.
5. To prevent the fruit from floating, cut a circle of parchment paper the same diameter as the pan and place it on the surface of the liquid.
6. Place a small plate over the paper so the pears are completely submerged in the liquid. Heat the pears over medium-high heat until the liquid comes to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the pears are tender. They should be easily pierced with a knife. Cooking time for ripe, medium-sized pears is 20-25 minutes, but this may vary depending on the size, variety, and ripeness of the pears.
8. Remove the pan from the stove and let the fruit cool completely without removing it from the liquid. Refrigerate, tightly covered, until ready to serve. The fruit can be stored for 4-5 days; the longer it sits in the liquid, the more intense its flavor will be.
9. Pour about half of the pear liquid into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and becomes a syrupy, honey-like consistency.
10. Meanwhile, whip the cream with sugar and cardamom until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
11. To serve, place the pear in a bowl or on a plate. Drizzle with wine syrup and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.