Ingredients
6
firm ripe Anjou pears (2 3/4 lb), peeled
1
bottle (500 ml) Vin Santo or other sweet dessert wine
1/2
cup sugar
1/3
cup fresh orange juice
1
vanilla bean (3 inch), split lengthwise
1/4
teaspoon juniper berries
1
cinnamon stick (3 inch)
6
tablespoons crème fraîche, if desired
Ground cinnamon, if desired
Preparation
Remove cores from blossom ends of pears, leaving stem end intact. If necessary, cut about 1/4 inch from base of pear so it sits flat.
Spray 5-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, stir wine, sugar and orange juice until sugar is dissolved. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds and bean into wine mixture. Add juniper berries and cinnamon stick. Arrange pears in wine mixture.
Cover; cook on High heat setting 3 hours.
Remove pears from cooking liquid; set aside. Pour cooking liquid through strainer into 2-quart saucepan; discard vanilla bean, juniper berries and cinnamon stick. Heat to boiling; boil 20 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup.
To serve, cut pears in half; place in dessert plates. Drizzle sauce evenly over pears. Top with crème fraîche and ground cinnamon.
