Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pears
- 4 seckel pears, firm but ripe
Poaching Liquid & Granita Base
- 375 ml gewurztraminer wine
- 300 ml water, divided use
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 8 whole cloves
- 1 lemon, peeled in strips and juiced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 219 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 33 g
- Sodium
- 10 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 229 mg
- Calcium
- 50 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 21 mg
- Phosphorus
- 26 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 134 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Peel the Seckel pears, leaving the stems intact for an elegant presentation. Using a melon baller or small knife, scoop out the core from the bottom base of each pear.
In a small saucepan, combine the Gewurztraminer wine, 200ml of water, granulated sugar, whole cloves, lemon peel strips, and lemon juice. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
Submerge the peeled and cored pears into the simmering liquid. Cut a circle of parchment paper with a small hole in the center to create a cartouche. Place it directly on the surface of the liquid to keep the pears submerged. Poach gently at 85 C or 185 F until the pears are tender enough to be pierced easily with a paring knife.
Carefully remove the pears from the poaching liquid using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a container. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Return the saucepan with the poaching liquid to the stove. Boil for a few minutes to concentrate the clove and wine flavors and evaporate excess alcohol, which inhibits freezing.
Pour the hot liquid through a fine mesh strainer to discard the cloves and lemon peel. Stir the remaining 100ml of cold water into the strained liquid to properly dilute the sugar and alcohol content for an icy granita texture.
Transfer the liquid into a shallow freezer-safe dish and place in the freezer. Every 45 minutes, use a fork to scrape the frozen edges into the center. Repeat this process until the mixture is completely transformed into fluffy, distinct ice crystals.
To serve, place a chilled, poached Seckel pear slightly off-center in a shallow chilled bowl. Spoon a generous mound of the clove-infused granita directly beside the pear.
Chef's Notes
- Seckel pears are exceptionally small and sweet, often called sugar pears. Because of their size, they cook much faster than Bosc or Anjou varieties.
- Using a parchment cartouche instead of a heavy lid prevents the delicate pears from bobbing and oxidizing, ensuring they cook evenly while maintaining their pristine shape.
- The freezing point depression caused by alcohol and sugar makes granita tricky. If you substitute the wine with juice or a non-alcoholic alternative, omit the extra dilution water.
- Pre-chilling your serving bowls in the freezer for 15 minutes before plating will stop the delicate granita from melting too quickly when it hits the dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store poached pears submerged in a small amount of leftover syrup.
Freezer: 1 month — Store granita in an airtight container, scrape with a fork before serving to fluff.
Troubleshooting
Granita freezes into a solid, unyielding block
Cause: The liquid was not agitated during the freezing process, or the alcohol/sugar ratio was too low
Fix: Let the block sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then aggressively scrape the surface with a heavy fork until crystals form
Prevention: Ensure you set a timer to scrape the mixture every 45 minutes as it freezes
Granita refuses to freeze and remains slushy
Cause: Alcohol content from the wine or sugar concentration is too high
Fix: Stir in an additional 50ml of water, mix thoroughly, and return to the freezer
Prevention: Always add the extra water after reducing, and ensure the wine reduces sufficiently during cooking
Pears fall apart or turn to mush
Cause: Poaching liquid was boiling too vigorously, or pears were overripe
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the mushy pears can be blended into a compote or puree
Prevention: Maintain a gentle poach below a rolling boil and select firm pears
Cultural Context
Poaching fruit in wine is a classic European preservation and preparation method that dates back to the Middle Ages, originally used to soften hard winter fruits. Pairing it with granita, a semi-frozen Sicilian dessert, bridges rustic French technique with bright, refreshing Mediterranean flair.
