Poached Pears with Cardamom Cookies

In a heavy stainless steel saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine wine, honey and thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.

Add the pears to the poaching liquid. Reduce the heat so liquid is barely simmering. Cut a round of parchment paper that fits the diameter of the pot. Cover the pears with a round of parchment paper.

Poach the pears until just tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes (cooking time will depend on how ripe the pear is).

Remove saucepan from the heat. Let pears cool in the poaching liquid. Refrigerate pears in the poaching liquid overnight so that the pears get totally saturated with the ruby redness of the wine.

The next day, remove the pears from the poaching liquid. Set pears aside back in the refrigerator. Transfer the poaching liquid in a heavy stainless steel saucepan. Cook the poaching liquid over medium-high heat until syrupy and reduces to ¾ cup. Cool the syrup.

Add rice flour, bread flour, salt and cardamom in a bowl and mix to combine.

Cream the butter, icing sugar and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Work by hand until pliable and dough is soft. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake cookies until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 16 cookies.

Serve the poached pears with the reduced poaching liquid, a scoop of ice cream and a cookie.