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Slow Cooker Spiced Poached Pears

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Cook: 4 hours YIELD: 8 servings.
Some of the many reasons I love this dessert recipe are: it's on the healthy side; it's easy to make; the recipe can be mostly prepared in advance of company arriving; and the presentation is lovely.—Jill Mant, Denver, Colorado

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
  • GANACHE:
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • TOPPINGS:
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • Fresh blackberries
  • Sweetened whipped cream, optional

Directions

  • 1. 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.
  • 2. Cook, covered, on low 4-5 hours or until pears are almost tender. Discard star anise and peppercorn.
  • 3. 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.
  • 4. 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.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving (calculated without whipped cream and blackberries): 295 calories, 12g fat (6g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 8mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 4g fiber), 2g protein.

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