Ingredients

• 6 pears peeled and cored from the bottom
• 1 x 750ml bottle red wine
• 100ml/3½fl oz brandy
• 70g/2½oz caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 vanilla pods
• split in half lengthways
• 2 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ lemon
• strips of zest only
• ½ orange
• strips of zest only
• 400ml/14fl oz full-fat milk
• 400ml/14fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• split in half lengthways
• 6 medium free-range egg yolks
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar or vanilla sugar
• 30g/1oz plain flour
• 20g/¾oz cornflour

Directions

• For the poached pears
• place the pears upright in a large saucepan. Cover with the wine
• brandy
• 500ml/18fl oz water and the sugar. Add the cinnamon
• vanilla pods
• the rest of the spices and the citrus zest.
• Bring to the boil
• stir the poaching liquor gently and skim off any residue from the surface. Cover with a cartouche (a circle of baking paper sat on the surface of the liquid) and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Transfer the cooled pears to a deep dish and cover with half the liquid. Boil the rest of the liquid in the saucepan until the volume of liquid has reduced to a syrup. Strain and set aside.
• For the custard
• heat the milk
• cream and vanilla in a heavy-based saucepan until almost boiling.
• In a mixing bowl
• beat the egg yolks
• sugar
• flour and cornflour until white and smooth. Pour the warm milk mixture over the egg mixture and beat well until incorporated. Pour back into the saucepan and bring to a simmer
• stirring all the time. As soon as the custard has started to bubble
• remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pods.
• To serve
• place a poached pear in each serving bowl. Pour the custard into the bottom of the bowls and glaze the pears with the poaching syrup.