Poires Alma

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Narrow 3-quart heavy saucepan
• •Parchment paper for a cartouche
• •Thin metal skewer or paring knife
• •Large chilled mixing bowl and whisk or electric mixer
• •Deep 1.5-quart serving bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the syrup

   Combine the water, port, granulated sugar, and finely chopped orange Zest prepared by Blanchings (No. 273) in a narrow 3-quart saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then bring the syrup to the first quiet bubbles. A narrow pan gives four pears the depth of liquor that a larger pastry kitchen achieved by making the syrup in quantity.

2. 2

   Poach at a tremble

   Peel the pears thinly, leaving their stems attached, and lower them into the syrup as soon as each is ready. Lay a parchment cartouche directly on the surface and keep the liquid at a tremble, with one small bubble appearing at the edge every few seconds. Turn the pears gently every 5 minutes and poach for 20 to 30 minutes, until a thin skewer enters the thickest part with faint resistance. Never let the syrup boil, because hard movement bruises the fruit and cooks its surface before the centre. If it does boil, lift the pan from the heat immediately and wait for the liquid to settle before returning it to a lower flame. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Cool in the syrup

   Transfer the pears to a shallow nonreactive container and pour the syrup and orange Zest over them. Let them cool uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, then cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Keep the fruit beneath the syrup as much as possible, turning it once during chilling if necessary; cooling in the poaching liquor carries the port and orange into the pears without cooking them further.

4. 4

   Whip the Chantilly

   Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cold cream, then whip the remainder with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the crème Chantilly, sweetened vanilla whipped cream, holds soft, generous peaks. Stop before it turns stiff. If it begins to look grainy, whisk in the reserved cream a teaspoon at a time until it becomes smooth again. Keep the Chantilly cold and covered until serving.

5. 5

   Dish and finish

   Lift the pears from the syrup and let them drain for a minute. If one refuses to stand, trim the thinnest possible slice from its base, then arrange all four upright in a chilled deep serving bowl, the honest home equivalent of the service timbale. Spoon enough cold syrup and orange Zest around them to make a shallow garnet pool, then sprinkle the pears generously with powdered Pralin (No. 2352). Carry the Chantilly to the table in a separate bowl, exactly as the preparation intends. Add the Pralin only at the last moment so its caramel crunch survives. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose pears that smell faintly fragrant but remain firm at the neck. A pear ready for eating is already too ripe for this poach; Bosc holds its shape particularly well.
• •Use the narrowest saucepan that accommodates the pears without crowding. Depth matters more than diameter here, because exposed shoulders colour and cook unevenly.
• •Powdered Pralin (No. 2352) is a dry almond-caramel powder, not soft praline paste. The paste cannot make the crisp, sandy finish this dish requires.
• •Ruby port gives the brightest garnet syrup, while tawny port brings a nuttier finish. Either respects the preparation, and a small glass of the same port belongs happily beside dessert.

Advance Preparation

• •Poach and chill the pears up to 24 hours ahead, keeping them submerged in their syrup. Their colour and port fragrance deepen during the rest.
• •The Chantilly can be whipped up to 4 hours before serving and held covered in the cold. Dish the pears and add the powdered Pralin only when the table is ready, or the caramel powder will dissolve into the syrup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 405g)