Glazed Poached Pears with Pudding Filling and Whipped Cream

Glazed poached pears, pudding, and whipped cream create a dessert that’s beautiful as well as delicious.  This elegant but easy dessert will make the ideal ending to any romantic dinner or even a Valentine’s Day treat for your partner.  Select D’Anjou or Bartlett pears to get the best taste and texture.

How to select a perfect Pear

Pears are amongst a handful of fruits which are better if purchased ahead of ripening. Mature pears which are chosen when green will ripen gradually allowing the starches to become sugars, plus the texture transforms from dry and gritty to succulent and juicy with a smooth texture.

Need the pears for a specific date?  Say Valentine’s Day? Plan ahead and purchase several days ahead of time.  Buy a firm pear and place it in a paper bag with a banana or apple to hasten the ripening process.  But how do you tell if a pear is ripe?  Well, they ripen inside out so the moment your stem has the slightest amount of give when it’s very gently pressed, the pear is ripe and ready to eat.

Glazed Poached Pears à la Kozy Shack

  • 1-1⁄2 cups Merlot wine
  • 1 cup Muscato wine
  • 1 cup water
  • 1⁄2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (divided)
  • 4 pears, ripe
  • 3 Tbl lemon juice and 1 qt water (acidulated water)
  • 1⁄4 cup real whipped cream
  • 1 container Kozy Shack® Vanilla Pudding & Pie Filling or homemade
  • Fresh Mint Leaves (optionsl)

Mix wines, water, sugar, cinnamon, and one teaspoon of vanilla in a medium-sized pot over ­medium heat.

While sauce is heating, make the acidulated water (lemon juice and water) and set aside.  Peel the pears (leave the stems intact) and cut a small piece off the bottom so that they sit flat.  Place the pears in the aciduated water to keep them from turning brown.

In another pot, boil water for the pears.  Once the is boiling, put pears in on their side. Simmer pears over medium/medium-high heat with lid on for 10 to 20 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so, until pears are just tender when poked gently with a fork. Remove pears to a plate or cutting board to cool.

Turn heat up under sauce and bring to a rapid boil.  Boil continuously until the liquid reduces in volume and thickens to a sauce consistency, 10–20 minutes. Remove from heat.

While waiting for pears to cool, stir 1 teaspoon vanilla ­extract into Kozy Shack pudding, mix well. Then gently fold 2 tablespoons of the Kozy Shack pudding into the whipped cream and set aside.

Once pears are cool, scoop out the core and part of the center of the pear from the bottom using a melon baller or a small metal measuring spoon (leave the stem in place). In a plastic resealable bag, place 1⁄2 cup Kozy Shack pudding and push the ­pudding to one corner to make a cone.  Cut a small bit of the corner of the bag and use it to pipe the filling into the pear cavities  you made earlier.

To serve, stand 1 pear up on a plate, drizzle with glaze, garnish with a ­dollop of the whipped topping and pudding mix and top with  1 mint leaf on the whipped topping.

More recipes are available online at www.kozyshack.com.


Recipe reprinted with permission – photo credit: Kozy Shack

:me: