Stoofperen
Ingredients:
◦ 2 kg Gieser Wildeman pears
◦ 500 ml red wine
◦ 250 ml water (or wine if you have enough, this is just to make things cheaper)
◦ 1 Star anise or “Illicium Verum”
◦ 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
◦ 4 tbsp dark-brown sugar that contains inverted sugar syrup. We call this “basterdsuiker.”
◦ Few drops of vanilla extract
◦ Few drops of almost extract
◦ Handful of Sultana raisins
Tools:
◦ Tea egg
◦ Thick-bottomed pot
◦ Timer
◦ Measuring spoons
◦ Measuring cup
Manual:
⁃ Peel the pears as thin as possible
⁃ Quarter the pear and cut the rigid stem lines, core and butt out
⁃ Place the pears in the pot
⁃ Place the raisins in the pot
⁃ Put the anise in a tea egg and place it in the pot
⁃ Pour de wine and water in the measuring cup (or just the 750ml wine and no water)
⁃ Add the Cinnamon, vanilla- and almond extract and the brown sugar
⁃ Stir well so the sugar and cinnamon is well dissolved in the wine
⁃ Pour the wine in the pot and make sure that the amount of wine is enough to cover the pears
Bring the content of the pot to a boil and then put the lid on it and turn the heat to low. Just enough to keep it simmering.
Keep it at this heat for 90 minutes and GENTLY stir it at the 45 minute mark.
When done, let it cool down and then you can divide it into storage containers. Be careful, the pears are now soft and fragile.
This recipe is made to my personal flavour and you can always give it your own variation to it!