February 4, 2022

Elderberry Wine-Poached Pears with Chantilly Cream

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Elderberry Wine-Poached Pears with Chantilly Cream is an excellent choice when you want a simple, yet elegant dessert worthy of Christmas, an anniversary, or a celebratory birthday.

(Post modified on 2/13/23.)

Last year, I made a delightful rustic tart with pears poached in elderberry wine. It had amazing flavor layered throughout, from the first bite to the very end. This past Christmas I revisited that recipe to see if it could hold its own on an even simpler level. And I’m happy to inform you that it did. With flying colors. See my recipe for Elderberry Wine-Poached Pear Crostata Here.

So, yes, the recipe I’m about to show you is in fact, the base recipe for the one I shared last year. And yet, it’s new. There’s no baking involved. No dough to make and form. It’s just fruit, and wine, with the addition of a dreamy Homemade Chantilly Cream. That got your attention, didn’t it?

While Chantilly Cream sounds elegant and impressive, it’s really just a French expression for sweetened whipped cream. Please know, however, that homemade whipped cream is so much better than a tub of frozen whipped cream. It really puts this dessert over the top, and then some!

A Note About Elderberry Wine

Elderberries are native to Kansas and can be found growing along roadsides in the ditches of many a country road. My mom has picked her fair share of them to make elderberry jelly, which I grew up on. So when I came across a Kansas winery that made elderberry wine, I was intrigued, and had to buy some.

Whether you’re making this recipe (or the Crostata recipe mentioned above), I encourage you to use elderberry wine rather than a dry red wine. I’ve tried it with both, and I can report that the dessert with the elderberry wine had an extra “wow” factor to it. The extra flavor from the elderberries really pushed it into a top category for desserts. You know, like what you might try at a really fine restaurant.

All-in-all, if you’re going for a dessert that will leave your guests with such satisfaction they are speechless, buy some sweet or semi-sweet elderberry wine. The brand I buy is from Wyldewood Cellars, from here in Kansas.

View More French-Style Desserts

Ingredients for Elderberry Wine-Poached Pears with Chantilly Cream

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

semi-sweet elderberry wine
granulated sugar
orange peel
cinnamon stick
whole cloves
Anjou Pears

Homemade Chantilly Cream

heavy whipping cream
powdered sugar
vanilla extract
pomegranate arils (for garnish)

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Begin by gathering the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare the Ingredients

Prepare the Anjou pears by coring and slicing them into quarters.

I have made this dish with and without the skin as you’ll see in my pictures. But I prefer them to be left on, as I like the added texture it gives.

Cut off a large strip of peel from a fresh orange, or the equivalent of.

Poach the Pears

Place the elderberry wine, granulated sugar, orange peel, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the sliced pears and make sure they are covered by the wine. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure pears poach evenly.

Remove the pears and place in a bowl or plate to cool. Strain the orange peel, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves from the poaching liquid.

Cover and refrigerate the pears until ready to serve.

Finish the Wine Sauce

Continue to simmer the sauce for another 8-10 minutes until the wine thickens slightly into a syrup. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

The syrup will thicken even more as it cools. If it becomes too thick, simply add a little water to it and stir to incorporate.

Prepare the Chantilly Cream

While the sauce cools, prepare the Chantilly Cream. In a large mixing bowl, combine cold, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

For best results, use a metal mixing bowl that has been chilled in the refrigerator and is cold.

Whisk ingredients together on low speed, and gradually increase to high speed, beating until the cream is thick and fluffy, approximately 4-5 minutes. Another term for this is to beat until stiff peaks form.

You’ll know when stiff peaks has been reached if you can turn the whisk upside down and the cream doesn’t fall.

Place the cream in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Alternately, you may place the whipped cream in a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve 2-3 poached pears on individual plates and lightly stream the syrup over the pears. (Do not coat the pears with the syrup as this will make them overly sweet.) Pipe a dollop of Chantilly Cream to the top of the pears and garnish with pomegranate arils, if desired. This recipe will serve 4-6 people.

See more Desserts Here. Browse French Recipes Here.