Elegant dessert surprisingly easy to prepare

Simmering port wine with orange, cinnamon and honey into a luxuriously syrupy sauce is just the thing to tame a medley of crisp fall fruit into an elegant dessert.

Be sure to use a ruby Port, as opposed to a tawny, because the sweetness of the former is essential for the accompanying recipe.

Once the plush purple liquid is boiled down, you cook the fruit — first the apples and grapes, which take a little longer to soften — then the pears. In just a few minutes, the fruit yields to the warmth, its cool crunch relaxes, and it becomes tender while the fruit also absorbs the liquid’s flavour and colour and releases its own juices into the mix.

The fruit and sauce can be served warm or chilled, on its own or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

But my favourite way to enjoy it happens to also be the most healthful: over a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.

FALL FRUIT WITH PORT WINE SAUCE Serves: 4

Be sure to use the sweeter ruby port, as opposed to a tawny.

Make ahead: The fruit and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

1 orange

1 cup ruby port (see headnote)

3-inch (7.5-cm) cinnamon stick

1 tbsp (15 mL) honey

1 or 2 apples such as Honeycrisp, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces

1/2 cup (125 mL) seedless red grapes, each cut lengthwise in half

1 or 2 firm-ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) dice Use a vegetable peeler to strip off one 2-inch (5-cm) long by 1/2-inch (1-cm) wide strip of the orange peel, being careful not to include any of the white pith.

Juice enough of the orange to yield 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of juice and reserve the rest of the orange for another use.

Place the strip of orange peel and juice in a medium saucepan along with the wine, cinnamon stick and honey and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the honey.

Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 mL). Discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick.

Stir in the apple and grapes, return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the pear; cook for 2 minutes, until all the fruit has softened slightly but still retains its shape. Let it steep for 5 minutes.

Serve warm or refrigerate until well chilled.