12 Days of LG,BE, FOOD & DRINK, sweets + baked goods

Mulled Wine Poached Pears & Whipped Vanilla Mascarpone

by Little Girl, Big Eats

❄12 Days of Christmas with LG,BE❄

🌟Day 12🌟

This has been one of those recipes that I’ve always wanted to try making and has been a draft since the early days of the blog! Something about the stark contrast between a deep red ruby fruit with the juxtaposition of a creamy white and the warm flavours of cinnamon, clove, and vanilla truly sounds DREAMY.

MULLED WINE INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bottle of fruity, medium red wine
  • 1/2 cup of Cointreau
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise
  • 6 whole all spice
  • 6 whole cloves
  • Fresh orange rind
  • 2-4 tbsp of maple syrup

DESSERT INGREDIENTS

  • 3 firm (but ripe) Bosc pears peeled and halved, insides scooped out but stems in tact
  • 1 cup of mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup of icing sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, halved

In a pot large enough to submerse the pairs, start by combining the red wine, Cointreau, all of the whole spices, orange rind and maple syrup and turn on medium-high heat until it begins to simmer. Place the halves of the pear into the pot and bring to a boil before gently bringing to a simmer for 30 minutes partially covered. Ensure that the pears are completely submerged and move around gently every few 10 minutes.

Check a pear by piercing with the tip of a sharp knife to see if it is tender. If it is still firm, simmer for 10 more minutes, or until tender. Once the pears are tender, remove the pot from the heat and cover. Allow the pot to stand at room temperature with the pears still in the liquid – this will ensure that the colour of the pears really deepens and shows off that ruby red nicely.

Carefully remove the pears and strain the liquid. Put the liquid back on the stovetop and bring to a gentle boil to reduce it down by at least half for a more syrup-like consistency.

In another bowl, use a stand mixer or beaters to combine the icing sugar, mascarpone cheese, heavy cream and the inside paste of the vanilla bean. Taste and adjust your sweetness.

Serve immediately with the pears slightly warmed and enjoy!

TIP: To get the vanilla paste out of the bean, split it lengthwise down the middle with the tip of a pairing knife. Then, use the dull side of the knife to scrape the seeds on both sides(Bon Appetit calls it 'vanilla caviar'). Save the bean itself and use in other things like steeping with your coffee milk, make vanilla maple syrup, or use it to infuse into your sugar or salt.

Peace and good eats, as always.
-A❄

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