Easy Dessert

Wine-poached pears in meringues

Name: Wine-poached pears in meringues
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 115 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 small pears (such as corella); 1 lemon, halved; 1 vanilla bean; 350ml red wine; 110g caster sugar; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 bay leaf; Zest and juice of 1/2 orange; 250g yoghurt; 30.00 ml soft brown sugar; 62.50 ml eggwhite (about 2-3 eggs); 140g (about 2/3 cup) caster sugar; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 2 teaspoons pure icing sugar, sifted

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55m

1h 55m

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It looks decadent, it tastes decadent, but you won't find a single trace of cream or butter. Instead, pears, meringue and yoghurt team up for one ingenious treat.

4 small pears (such as corella)
1 lemon, halved
1 vanilla bean
350ml red wine
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
Zest and juice of 1/2 orange
1 cup (250g) low-fat thick Greek yoghurt
1 1/2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

Meringue

1/4 cup eggwhite (about 2-3 eggs)
140g (about 2/3 cup) caster sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure icing sugar, sifted

Method

1.

Peel the pears, keeping stem intact, then rub the flesh with the lemon to prevent from browning. Place vanilla, wine, sugar, spices, zest and juice in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then add the pears and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until cooked. Test to see if ready by piercing with a thin skewer - if pears aren't tender, cook for a little longer. Cooking time will vary depending on the ripeness of the fruit.
2.

Transfer pears to a bowl, bring the cooking liquid to the boil and cook until reduced and syrupy. Pour the syrup over the pears and refrigerate until required.
3.

Preheat the oven to 110°C.
4.

To make the meringues, place eggwhite, caster sugar and lemon juice in an electric mixer and beat on high for 10 minutes or until thick and glossy. Fold in icing sugar with a wooden spoon. Form 6 round mounds, about 7cm in diameter, on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Smooth the surface, then make a small indent in the top with the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until crisp, then cool in a turned-off oven.
5.

Combine yoghurt and brown sugar and place a small amount in the indent of the meringue. Sit the pear in the yoghurt mixture and drizzle with the syrup.