Simple and Light Spiced Pears

During the festive, season I find that there is an abundance of rich food, the Christmas pudding with brandy butter is not a favourite of mine so I always like to offer an alternative lighter option.

With their juicy flesh and mellow fruity personality, pears take well to slow simmering in flavoursome liquids such as a fruity red wine or pomegranate juice. Lightly sweetened and accented with some aromatic spices such as cinnamon and cardamom, the fruit becomes even more complex in flavour. This is a very simple dessert to add to the Christmas table.

Print Recipe

Spiced Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 Serves

Ingredients

• 1 x 750-ml bottle fruity red wine
• 300 g Sugar
• 400 mls Water
• 120 mls Orange Juice
• 2 tsp Orange zest
• 1 rounded teaspoon ground Cardamom freshly ground
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 6 firm Pears peeled, cored, stems left intact
• 150 g Mascarpone
• 1 Tbls  icing sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

Instructions

• 1.  Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer.  Although a little time consuming please take the time to buy the cardamom pods and grind yourself as this will make all the difference to the end result.
• 2.  Add the pears and return the mixture and bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until pears are tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Transfer pears to a plate. Boil the liquid in the saucepan reduced by one-third of the original quantity, approximately 20 minutes. Pass the liquor through a fine sieve. (Can be made 1-2 days ahead.) Cover and chill pears in the poaching liquid.
• 3.  Combine the mascarpone with the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste. Before serving, warm the pears and poaching liquor over medium-low heat until warmed through.

I find a sharp pairing knife the perfect tool to remove the core of the pears. I used comice as they have a very appealing shape.

*You can replace the wine with pomegranate juice if you’re feeding a younger palette.

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