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A poached pear served with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick on a white plate, placed on a stacked plate setting.

White Wine Poached Pears

White wine poached pears simmered with cinnamon and vanilla, chilled in a reduced wine syrup and served with creamy honey mascarpone whipped cream. This naturally gluten free make ahead dessert is elegant enough for holidays and dinner parties.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Poached Pears

  • 4 Bartlett pears
  • 1 bottle dry white wine
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • ½ vanilla bean

Honey Whipped Cream

  • 6 ounces (170 g) mascarpone cheese softened but still chill
  • 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream cold
  • 3 Tablespoon (63 g) honey
  • 3 Tablespoon (23 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Poached Pears

  • In a pot large enough to fit the pears, combine the wine, lemon, sugar, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  • While the mixture is coming to a simmer, peel the pears but leave the stems intact. You can trim a piece off the bottom so they stand up.
  • Add the pears, stem end up and cook for 25 minutes until the pears are tender. Once cooked, remove the pears and set aside.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce by half to create a syrup. Pour the syrup over the pears and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
  • Serve whole or half pears with the center scooped out. Serve with the honey whipped cream.

Honey Whipped Cream

  • Add the mascarpone cheese to a mixing bowl and beat on high for 30 seconds.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and beat until soft peaks form (the peaks should gently fold over at the top).Chill until ready to use, and rewhip if the mixture separates.

Equipment

  • large saucepan

Notes

  • Cream cheese can be substituted for the mascarpone cheese, if needed.