Ingredients

  • 2 ripe pears, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 4 egg yolks
  • cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Cognac (one may substitute a favorite liquor or Madeira wine)

    about 1 cup

    Preparation

    1. In a saucepan, cook the pear chunks in the wine until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    2. In a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks until they begin to thicken. Gradually add the sugar and Cognac while whisking. Continue until sauce thickens.
    3. Remove pears from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and place in a blender. (Don’t drain the pears excessively. You want some of the cooking liquid in the sauce.) Pour the egg-Cognac sauce into the blender, and mix at low speed at first, then at high speed for several seconds.
    4. Place a stainless steel mixing bowl over ice. Pour the sauce into it, and whisk until it becomes thoroughly chilled. The sauce can be refrigerated until use. Serve over rice pudding, poached pears or your favorite fruit.

    25 minutes

    Dining and Cooking