Ginger-cinnamon poached pears with sweet
mascarpone
serves 4
Pears poached with fresh ginger and
cinnamon, and served with mascarpone (an Italian soft cream cheese)
flavored with a touch of vanilla and sugar.
1 lemon
8 pears (Beurre Bosc are ideal)
1-inch knob of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons superfine (caster) sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons confectioners’ (icing) sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
FILL a large saucepan with water and add
the juice of 1 lemon. PEEL each pear, cut off the top and bottom,
then cut into quarters. REMOVE the core and add the pear quarters to
the saucepan of lemon water as you go to stop them from browning.
PEEL the ginger and smash it with the side of a knife blade but keep
intact. DRAIN the pears, reserving 1 cup of the lemon-water for
cooking. RETURN the pears to the saucepan with the cup of
lemon-water plus the sugar, cinnamon stick and ginger and mix
together. BRING to the boil, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to
medium and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
MIX together the mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla
extract in a small bowl. REMOVE the pears and simmer the remaining
liquid, uncovered, until it thickens into a syrup. DISCARD the
ginger and cinnamon stick and serve the pears drizzled with the
syrup and topped with the sweet mascarpone.
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