Poached Pears In Muscat Wine

• 6 firm Bosc pears (3 to 4 lbs. total)
• 1 bottle (750 ml.) Muscat dessert wine, such as Electra
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise
• 3 containers (8 oz. each) creme fraiche
• Rose geranium or mint leaves

1. Peel pears, halve lengthwise (leaving stems on half of pieces), and core.
2. Put pears in a 5- to 6-qt. pot. Add wine and sugar. Scrape seeds from vanilla pod into pot, then add pod and water to barely cover pears (3 to 4 1/2 cups).
3. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat; then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until pears are as soft as butter when pierced with a knife, 30 minutes.
4. With a slotted spoon, transfer pears from pot to a large, wide bowl. Boil syrup, uncovered, over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups, 30 to 35 minutes; reduce heat if pan starts to scorch. Pour syrup over pears.
5. Spoon 1/4 cup creme fraiche into each dessert bowl and add a pear half to each. Stir syrup and drizzle over pears. Tuck in rose geranium leaves.
6. Make ahead: Through step 4, up to 1 day, chilled airtight.

dessert wine, sugar, vanilla bean, containers, geranium

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/poached-pears-muscat-wine (may not work)