Thank Alton Brown for this delicious recipe. We used our vanilla beans to infuse this elegant pear recipe with even more rich vanilla flavor.

Ingredients
  • 1 bottle (750-ml) Riesling
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 cup Rodelle Vanilla Sugar
  • 1 Rodelle Vanilla Bean, split and scraped, reserve bean pod
  • 4 firm pears, peeled. Leave stems intact.
Uses
Directions
  1. Combine wine, water, Rodelle Vanilla Sugar, and scraped Rodelle Vanilla Bean seeds and pod in a 4-quart saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Core the pears from the bottom and remove a thin slice from the bottom so that the pear will stand level and upright.
  4. Decrease the heat to medium-low and place the pears into the liquid.
  5. Cover and maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender, but not falling apart.
  6. Remove the pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and place in refrigerator.
  7. Remove vanilla bean pod from the saucepan, increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup (about 25-30 minutes). Do not let the syrup turn brown; although the vanilla sugar may introduce some amber coloring.
  8. Remove the syrup to a heatproof container and refrigerate until cool.
  9. To serve, spoon the sauce over the pears.