Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yields: Vary
Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Honey
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 2 cups Water or Juice
• 1 cup dry or off dry White or Rose Wine (juice can be substituted)
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 6 Whole Star Anise
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 4-6 Apples, Pears or Quince (2-3 lbs); peeled and quartered
• ½ cup Dried Plums, Apricots, or Cranberries
• Serve With Buholzer Brothers® Muenster Cheese

Directions

1. Cooking figs, quince, pears, and apples with spices such as cinnamon and star anise creates both a sweet and savory profile that coaxes out both complementary and contrasting flavors in the cheese.
2. Place the first nine ingredients into pot and bring to a boil. When sugar has dissolved reduce heat and add fruit. Cover and simmer, removing fruit with a slotted spoon as it softens.*
3. Arrange the fruit in a glass bowl. Once all the fruit has been removed bring the poaching liquid to a boil and reduce it by half (5 to 10 minutes). Taste; if necessary add more lemon juice to balance flavor.
4. Strain the syrup and carefully ladle over the poached fruit. Serve warm or cooled with Muenster Cheese. The fruit will keep in the refrigerator for about one week.
5. *The fruit should be tender but not mushy. Cooking times vary: 10 to 15 minutes for dried fruit, 20 to 30 minutes for pears, 30 to 45 for apples and one hour for quince.