Poached Pears with Hazelnut & Ricotta Whipped Yoghurt

June 11, 2025

Warming spices, red wine and orange combine to turn pears into a delightful Winter desert! Accompanied by Whipped Ricotta Yoghurt spiked with Hazelnut oil and topped with roasted hazelnuts. This is a great recipe to make ahead, refrigerate and allow the flavours to develop even more before warming up and assembling when ready!

Inspired by Suzy Karadsheh's recipe from the Mediterranean Dish

For the Poached Pears You'll need:

6 small pears
2 large oranges (1 cut into 1cm slices, other zested and juiced into a shallow bowl)
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup honey
2TBSP sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 green cardamom pods
5 cloves

For the whipped Ricotta Yoghurt you'll need:

200g fresh ricotta from the deli
200g Greek pot set yoghurt
1TBSP hazelnut or macadamia oil
1TBSP maple syrup or honey
zest of half a lemon
1tsp cinnamon

Optional Topping:

Crushed hazelnuts or walnuts

Method:

Bring red wine, honey, sugar, spices to the boil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan.
In the meantime peel pears and place in bowl with orange juice and coat with juice to prevent browning.
Once wine mix has come to a boil reduce to simmer, add pears plus remaining orange juice, slices and zest. Carefully arrange pears so that they are fully submerged in poaching liquid. Cover and simmer for ~30mins or until inserted skewer meets no resistance.
Carefully remove pears into a bowl and continue to reduce poaching liquid over medium/high heat for another few mins as desired.
If making ahead transfer pears and liquid to the fridge once cooled slightly
Meanwhile combine ricotta yoghurt ingredients into a food processor and pulse until incorporated. refrigerate until needed
Cut pears into quarters when cool enough to touch
Layer whipped ricotta onto bowls top with 1/2 to full pears, top with crushed nuts and spoon over syrup