I first tried Brischtner Nytlä during my weeklong stay in the quiet mountain village of Unterschächen. When I stopped in at the Hotel Alpina for an afternoon snack, this specialty from the canton of Uri was on the menu. I had read about this dessert before, so I was thrilled to finally taste it! The key ingredient? Dörrbirnen, whole-dried pears.

The “Brischtner” in the name of this dessert refers to Bristen, another village in Uri. “Nytlä” is a regional Swiss German word for cream. With few ingredients, this simple dish has a wealth of flavors. The dried pears have a slightly caramelized taste, complimented by the tannins in the red wine and the comforting scent of cinnamon. The cooling whipped cream helps to balance these flavors. To my recipe below, I also add toasted almonds to give it a bit more texture.

Where to buy Dörrbirnen:

If you live in Switzerland and would like to purchase Dörrbirnen, here’s where you can find them:

• At the historic Schwarzenbach shop in Zurich. They can also be ordered online.
• You can buy them online from Rüttimann Obstdörrerei.
• During the winter you can find them in some regions of Switzerland, such as Graubünden, at Migros.
• The small monastery shop at the Culinarium Alpinum in Stans sometimes has them in stock.

How to Make Brischtner Nytlä

My Brischtner Nytlä recipe below was inspired by instructions for making this dessert from Swissmilk as well as the Uri tourism office.

Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g (½ lb.) Dörrbirnen, whole dried pears
• 300-350 ml (1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups) ml dry red wine (e.g., Pinot Noir, Merlot or Dôle)
• 50 g (¼ cup) sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Serving suggestions: whipped cream and chopped almonds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Quarter the dried pears, removing the stems and seeds. Add them to a medium saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Stir everything together and place them on the stove over a high heat.
2. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Let the pears simmer like this for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the pears have softened and the liquid has thickened, take the pan off the heat. When the pears have cooled to room temperature, place them in the fridge.
3. When the pears have cooled completely, whip the heavy cream. Serve the pears with a drizzle of the sauce over the whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped almonds.

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