Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups ruby port
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 bundle thyme
- 1 lemon, zested, not grated, but in big strips for easy removal
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 3 Bosc pears, peeled, halved and cored
- 1 pint mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 pound block semisweet or dark chocolate, to shave with a vegetable peeler
Directions
In a large saucepan combine the port, wine, 1 cup of the sugar, star anise, cinnamon, thyme, lemon zest, the vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the pears and simmer until the pears are cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool in the poaching liquid.
Before serving, remove the pears from their poaching liquid and reduce the liquid to a syrup. Strain into a small bowl.
Combine the mascarpone and remaining sugar in a small bowl. Dollop a small amount of the mascarpone on each plate and arrange a pear half on top to prevent it from sliding around the plate. Garnish the pears with a large dollop of the mascarpone, and drizzle with the reduced poaching liquid. Shave the chocolate over the mascarpone and serve.
Voila!
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By Salamb
on December 23, 2011
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Very nice! Perfectly light dessert. I sweetened the mascarpone with ginger syrup. As an added touch I garnished the plate with cocoa pita chips and truffled walnuts and plated the pear fanned in slices, not cut all the way thru.
By bonniehorje_7436326
SAN DIEGO, CA
on October 29, 2011
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I made this recipe since I had a box 1/2 of red pears. I tripled the recipe and used mostly port wine and some nice chianti that I had left over. I did not have any star anise, so I made it without the anise, and it was still great. The hardest part of the recipe is prepping the pears, after that, it is just time to simmer. i had had a recipe for this but could not find it. This one worked out great. I will keep this one and do it again.
By rockb45
New Castle, CO
on July 30, 2011
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I havent, tried this recipe yet but I sure will. Anne has never dissapointed me. So I'm absolutely sure its gonna be delicious. And by the way for you that only gave a one star and said that anne doesnt have a likeable personality is not true. She is one of Food Networks best chefs and has a funny and likeable personality, and I think I'm not the only one who would say this because if you look at all this posts your are the only one that doesnt like her. So maybe its you who has an ugly personality. I wouldn't want you in my kitchen. Hope you guys try this dessert I would put money down that its delicious.
Read all 14 reviews