Spiced pears in grape juice with vanilla quark

Spiced pears poached in red grape juice with cinnamon, star anise and cloves – like mulled wine pears without the alcohol – served with vanilla quark. A family-friendly dessert, 240 kcal per pear.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 30 min
• Total time: 40 min
• Calories: 240 kcal per serving
• Protein: 9 g
• Fat: 1 g
• Carbs: 53 g

Ingredients

• 4 pears
• 500ml grape juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 unwaxed orange
• 250g low-fat quark
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 star anise
• 3 cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

You’ll need: saucepan

1. Use a vegetable peeler to pare off two strips of orange zest and heat them in a saucepan with the grape juice, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves.
2. Peel the pears, leaving the stalks on, and lay them in the juice. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until soft, turning them now and then.
3. Take out the pears and boil the spiced liquid uncovered for 5 minutes until it thickens a little.
4. Squeeze the orange and stir the juice with the low-fat quark, vanilla extract and honey until smooth.
5. Serve each pear with vanilla quark and drizzle with the reduced spiced liquid.

Good to know

Mulled wine pears without the alcohol, so everyone at the Advent table can join in. Red grape juice turns the pears a deep red and brings enough sweetness.

Swaps

Grape juice → cherry juice (more tart). Low-fat quark → skyr, or soya yoghurt (vegan – then use maple syrup instead of honey). Star anise → cardamom. Pears → apples (shorter cooking time).

Cooking tips

Use firm pears that aren't quite ripe yet, so they don't fall apart. Left overnight in the liquid, they turn even darker.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge in its liquid; mix the quark fresh.

Allergens

Contains milk; gluten- and nut-free. OK for kids, but no honey for babies under one year old.

Frequently asked questions

How long do spiced pears keep in the fridge?

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge in its liquid; mix the quark fresh.