It’s no secret that I love creating boozy desserts, so I’m sneaking in just under the wire with a recipe to celebrate Negroni Week. If you’re not familiar, the negroni is an aperitif with just three ingredients – campari, gin and vermouth. Sophisticated and a little bit bitter, it’s a great way to start your Friday night and stimulate your appetite for dinner. Like all the classics it has been reinvented and reinterpreted by inventive bartenders, although it never went out of style, it’s definitely having a moment right now. Negroni Week is a celebration of that, with over 3500 bars all over the world selling traditional or signature negroni’s and donating money to a good cause.

I have already put a little spin on the drink last year with a Sparkling Blood Orange Negroni. Being an aperitif, it usually begins the meal so this time I thought I would combine it with the classic poached pears to finish the night instead. To add flavour to the poaching liquid I had to use the classic accompaniment, orange peel. I also couldn’t resist adding a couple of spices to the mix to make this a little more winter appropriate. I used star anise, cinnamon and vanilla bean, however feel free to use any that you love – juniper berries could be an interesting twist.

I really really loved this dessert and it made my whole apartment smell incredible as the pears were cooking. It does taste like a negroni and the bitterness works well with the natural sweetness of the pears. It would be a great way to finish up a dinner party because it’s not too heavy or sweet. It’s easy to prepare and can also be made well in advance – bonus! I hope you’ll go out and participate in Negroni Week and drink for a good cause. For more information about participating bars in Sydney go here or here.

Negroni Poached Pears
Adapted from Kelly Neil
Serves 4

• 4 Beurre Bosc pears
• 1 cup gin (I like Hendricks or Tanqueray)
• 1 cup Campari
• 1 cup sweet Italian Vermouth (I used Cinzano Rosso)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• Half a vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• Peeled zest of half an orange
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• To serve: whipped cream and chopped pistachios