Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears With Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream Recipe

I first served Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream at a holiday dinner and watched the sexy dessert become the most talked-about dish of the night.

I made Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears With Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream for a holiday dinner and nobody could stop staring. Bosc pears look almost scandalous when they turn glossy and deep, like little sculptures you almost don’t want to eat.

I love the contrast of cool mascarpone whipped cream against that dark fruit, it’s naughty and elegant at once. I’ve messed around with Red Wine Poached Pears before, but this one leans into drama, more like those Pears In Red Wine shots that make you double tap.

And when you serve it, people get quiet, curious, then greedy.

Ingredients

• Pears: firm fiber rich fruit that keeps shape when poached, gently sweet
• Red wine: adds deep fruity tannins color and a hint of acidity
• Sugar: sweetens the poaching liquid balances acidity and caramelizes a bit
• Vanilla bean: floral aromatic seeds that round flavors, gives warm perfume
• Mascarpone: rich creamy cheese makes whipped cream velvety it’s slightly tangy
• Warm spices: cinnamon and star anise add cozy warmth subtle licorice notes
• Orange and lemon zest brighten the sauce with fresh citrusy zing
• Brandy or orange liqueur: optional splash boosts aroma and adds boozy depth

Ingredient Quantities

• For the pears and poaching liquid
• 4 firm Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled with stems intact
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine like cabernet or merlot
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 orange, zested and sliced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 2 tbsp brandy or orange liqueur, optional
• For the vanilla mascarpone whipped cream
• 8 oz (225 g) mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 to 3 tbsp powdered sugar, to taste
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
• Pinch fine sea salt
• To serve (optional)
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish
• Grated dark chocolate or cocoa powder for dusting

How to Make this

1. Peel 4 firm Bosc or Anjou pears leaving the stems intact, optionally core from the bottom with a melon baller so the liquid soaks in better, set aside.

2. In a large saucepan combine 750 ml dry red wine (cabernet or merlot), 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water, zest and sliced orange, zest of 1 lemon, 1 split vanilla bean with seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract), 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 whole cloves and 2 star anise; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

3. Reduce heat to low so the liquid is at a bare simmer, add the pears upright (stems up) and make sure they are mostly submerged; if not, weigh them down with a small plate. Poach gently 20 to 30 minutes until a paring knife slides in easily, turning the pears occasionally so the color is even.

4. Remove pears with a slotted spoon to a plate; increase heat under the poaching liquid and boil until reduced to a glossy syrup that coats a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons brandy or orange liqueur at the end if using, then let the syrup cool a bit.

5. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for 10 minutes, then make the vanilla mascarpone whipped cream: in the cold bowl beat 8 oz mascarpone with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar to taste, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean) and a pinch of fine sea salt. Whip to soft to medium peaks, but stop early because mascarpone can split if you overbeat.

6. Put the pears back into the cooled syrup to soak for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate them in the syrup overnight for deeper color and flavor, you’re gonna notice the flavor gets way better the next day.

7. To serve, warm a little of the reduced syrup if you like it warm, place each pear upright or halved in shallow bowls, spoon syrup around and over them, then add a generous dollop of the vanilla mascarpone whipped cream.

8. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and a shower of grated dark chocolate or a light dusting of cocoa powder; a little extra orange zest on top brightens everything.

9. Make ahead tips: poached pears will keep refrigerated in their syrup up to 3 days, whipped mascarpone is best the same day but can be kept a few hours chilled, and you can gently reheat syrup before serving if needed.

Equipment Needed

1. Vegetable peeler (for peeling the pears, keep stems intact)
2. Melon baller or small corer (optional, to hollow from the bottom so the syrup soaks in)
3. Large heavy saucepan (big enough to hold 4 pears upright with liquid)
4. Slotted spoon and a small plate (spoon to lift pears out, plate to weigh them down if they float)
5. Paring knife (test doneness and trim any spots)
6. Microplane or zester and measuring cups/spoons (orange and lemon zest, plus sugar/wine measurements)
7. Cold mixing bowl and electric hand mixer or stand mixer with beaters (chill both for the mascarpone cream)
8. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula (stirring the poaching liquid and reducing the syrup)
9. Shallow serving bowls and a fine grater (for serving, garnishing with grated dark chocolate and mint)

You’re gonna be glad you had all this ready before you start.

FAQ

Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears With Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Red wine: swap with 750 ml pomegranate or tart cranberry juice plus 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or 1 tsp balsamic for tannin like depth, reduce sugar a bit since juice is sweeter.
• Granulated sugar: use 3/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup for a richer, rounded flavor (use slightly less because they are sweeter and add liquid), or use coconut sugar 1 to 1 for a closer brown-sugar note.
• Brandy or orange liqueur: replace with 2 tbsp fresh orange juice plus 1 tsp extra orange zest for bright citrus, or use 2 tbsp dark rum if you want booze but different flavor.
• Mascarpone: if you dont have it, blend 8 oz cream cheese with 2 tbsp heavy cream until silky, or pulse 1 cup ricotta with 2 tbsp cream and a pinch of powdered sugar for a lighter stand-in.

Pro Tips

1) Pick pears that are firm but not rock hard, if they’re too ripe they’ll fall apart while poaching. Scoop a tiny hollow from the bottom with a melon baller so the syrup soaks in better, it makes the flavor go deeper overnight.

2) Keep the wine at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil, or the pears will get mushy and the color gets blotchy. Use a decent but not expensive red, a cheap bottle will taste thin, and turn the pears now and then so the color stays even.

3) When you reduce the poaching liquid, watch it closely, you want a glossy syrup that just coats a spoon. Strain out the spices and citrus before you pour it over the pears for a cleaner finish, and stir in the brandy or liqueur off the heat so the boozy aroma stays bright.

4) Chill your bowl and beaters and whip the mascarpone gently to soft or medium peaks, stop early cause it can split. If it starts to grain or separate, add a tablespoon or two of cold cream and gently fold to bring it back together.