Cider-poached Pears with Yogurt and Toasted-Almonds

A lovely lovely dessert. One of those elegant but easy treats that make guests feel really special. We (a friend and I regularly meet to cook and eat lunch and this was on the menu for today) made three changes to the recipe.

Instead of yogurt, we used creme fraiche (creamier and sweeter than the yogurt would have been -- less of a tang) and skipped the nuts. And we "fanned" the pear across the plate rather than serving the whole half as shown in the picture at the website. The reduced poaching liquid (cider, OJ, vanilla, star anise and cinnamon) makes a lovely fragrant caramel-colored glaze. I'd pull out my prettiest plate for this one.

This is a Curtis Stone recipe developed for The Biggest Loser show -- so a good option for healthy eaters or guests watching their weight.