• 1. Peel the pears keeping the stalks on
• 2. You can either leave them whole or cut them in half. If halved, use a melon baller to scoop out the core.
• 3. Add the pears to a large pot along with zests, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, sugar and vanilla. Top with red wine and orange slices. Add a bit of water to ensure the pears are completely covered.
• 4. Place the lid on the pot and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the pears are ripe. Remove the pears
• 5. Strain the poaching liquid and discard the flavorings. For the intense deep red / purple colour you will need to place the pears with the liquid in a container overnight into the refrigerator.
• 6. Once your satisfied with the colour of your pears, next make the red wine syrup. Add 2 cups of red wine juice to a pan and bring to a boil. You really want the wine to bubble which helps it to reduce to about half. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. The cooling will help the wine thicken into a syrup.
• 7. Serve pears with espresso whip, almond brittle and red wine syrup.

To make Almond Brittle:

• 1. Line a small pan with aluminum foil with a small overhang for easy removal. Coat the foil with butter spray
• 2. Melt butter, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan stirring constantly.
• 3. Continue to cook and stir until mixture is golden brown. This could take 5-10 minutes.
• 4. Add the almond slices into the mixture and pour onto buttered pan. Refrigerate until chill and firm. Invert pan take crunch off the foil and break into bite-sized pieces.
• 5. Store for up to 1 week.

To make Espresso Whipped Cream:

• 1. Place metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes
• 2. Remove bowl and add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and espresso powder. Beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes continuously increasing the speed until still peaks form and it holds its shape
• 3. Store leftovers for up to 3 days.
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