These pears have been poached in sweet, white muscadel for a lovely golden colour, but you can also use a red muscadel for a pinker shade.
TO DRINK: Ken Forrester ‘T’ Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc
Poached pears stuffed with camembert ice cream
Ingredients
CAMEMBERT ICE CREAM
- 375g ripe Camembert, peeled
- 180ml single fresh cream
- 180ml double fresh cream
- freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- pinch of salt
POACHED PEARS
- 750ml muscadel
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise pod
- 4 pears, peeled
Instructions
For the ice cream, blend the cheese and single cream together in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stir in the double cream and season well with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Pour into an ice-cream maker and churn until thickand velvety. Transfer the mixture to a plastic container with a lid and freeze for 3 – 4 hours before use.
For the pears, place the muscadel, cinnamon and star anise in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Place the pears in the boiling liquid, cover and leave to simmer until just cooked, about 12 – 15 minutes. Remove from the liquid and leave to cool slightly. Reduce the liquid to a syrup.
Cut the top off each pear and reserve the lid. Use a melon baller to remove the core and hollow the pear out slightly. Scoop the ice cream into the pear and place the “lid’ back on. Drizzle the syrup over the pears and serve.
Notes
If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, pour the ice cream into a plastic container and freeze until set, remove and stir, and set again. Continue until it is creamy.
