Serve with softly whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 225ml (8fl oz) port
- 225g (8oz) caster or granulated sugar
- 7 green cardamom pods, bashed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 strips of orange rind (removed with a peeler)
- 6 pears, peeled
- 2 sheets of gelatine
Method
- Place the port, 225ml (8fl oz) water, the sugar, spices and orange rind in a saucepan that will just fit the pears.
- Place on a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the pears neatly in the saucepan with the port syrup.
- Cover with a disc of baking parchment and a lid, then simmer for half an hour. Turn over the pears, then cook for a further half hour until the pears are soft.
- Remove the pears and strain the juices into a measuring jug.
- Pour 75ml (3fl oz) of this liquid back over the pears and keep aside in the saucepan, then place the baking parchment and lid back on the saucepan.
- Place 2 sheets of gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften, then remove from the water and add the squeezed-out gelatine sheets to the warm syrup, stirring to dissolve.
- If the syrup has cooled too much, the gelatine will not dissolve, in which case, heat the syrup again.
- Divide the liquid into six small glasses or moulds lined with cling film and chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours until set.
- To serve, warm the pears gently in the syrup, then turn out the jellies onto plates, place a warm pear on the side and drizzle over some of the syrup. Serve with softly whipped cream.
