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–+ servings
Poached Pears with Vanilla-Pistachio Blondie

White Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla-Pistachio Blondie

Elegant white wine poached pears served over a soft vanilla-pistachio blondie. This vegetarian dessert pairs tender, spiced pears with a buttery cookie base and a scatter of chopped pistachios for a restaurant-worthy finish.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Choose Serving Size 6

Ingredients 

For the blondies:

  • 150 g flour
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 6 Tbsp butter at room temp (or vegan butter)
  • 1 flax egg Mix 1 Tbsp of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. You can also substitute for one large egg if you're not vegan.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt

For the poached pears:

  • 6 pears
  • white wine enough to cover the pears
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • ½ cup pistachios chopped

Instructions

  • In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a hand mixer.
  • Add the vanilla and flax egg and combine.
  • In a separate bowl, combine and mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then add them to the wet mixture.
  • Mix with the hand mixer.
  • Place round cookie cutters on a lined baking pan, pour in the mixture and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes.
  • Let them cool completely.
  • Peel and core the pears. In a pot, add the pears and enough white wine to cover them. Add the zest and juice from the lemon and the vanilla bean. Once simmering, add the sugar. Stir well and cook for 15-20 minutes. Take out the pears, cut the bottom part flat and place them on the blondies. Sprinkle pistachios around each pear and spoon 1-2 Tbsp of the wine syrup over the top.

Notes

Firm pears such as Bosc or Anjou hold their shape best when poached. Store the poached pears in their syrup in the fridge for up to 3 days, then assemble on the blondies just before serving so the cookie stays soft. Oven temperature: 180°C is about 350°F.