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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