Chestnut Honey Baked Pears Stuffed With Mascarpone Food

RED WINE POACHED ANJOU PEARS STUFFED WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Place the wine, peppercorns, vanilla beans, zest, cardamom and sugar in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the saucepan to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Place the pears in the saucepan and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pears are tender.
• Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and set aside on a plate. Allow them to cool completely.
• While the pears are cooling, strain the poaching liquid and discard solids. Return the liquid to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the poaching liquid to a syrup, about 5 to 10 minutes. You should have about 1/2 cup syrup. Set aside.
• When the pears are cool enough to handle, remove the inner core using a melon baller. Stuff each pear with 2 tablespoons of the mascarpone.
• To serve, pour about 2 tablespoons of the poaching syrup on a chilled appetizer plate with a pear in the center. Sprinkle toasted pistachios around the plate and garnish with mint leaves and orange zest. Drizzle with creme anglaise, if desired.

BAKED PEARS WITH CURRANTS AND CINNAMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the pears, cut-side up, in a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon, and add a small pat of coconut oil to each pear half. Pour the wine into the bottom of the baking dish, being careful not to disturb the pears. Sprinkle the currants over the pears -- it's OK if some fall into the wine. Place in the oven and cook until fork tender, about 50 minutes.
• To serve, set pears on a plate and dollop with mascarpone. Drizzle with some of the juices and currants from the baking pan.

BAKED PEARS WITH VANILLA MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice off bottom end of each pear just enough so that it will stand upright. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove seeds from the bottom. Peel upper half, leaving stem intact, and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub butter over peeled part of each pear, and arrange pears in a small baking dish (about 7 by 11 inches) so they are standing. Sprinkle with the sugar.
• Pour wine into baking dish; add thyme sprigs, if using. Bake until pears are soft when pierced with a paring knife and well browned, about 45 minutes; using a small spoon, baste pears occasionally with the wine, adding a bit of water as needed to prevent liquid from evaporating. Remove from oven.
• To serve, spoon some of the pan juices into each serving dish, and place a pear on top. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and several biscotti on the side.

CARAMELIZED PEARS WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• First mix mascarpone and sugar 2 ours before serving so sugar san join with mascarpone. Put it in cold place.
• Roughly ground almonds and dry fry them until brownish.
• Take a 24cm large heavy pan (preferably Teflon) and add honey, butter cardamom, cinnamon and inside "flesh" from vanilla (or package of bourbon vanilla sugar) and let it melt and join.
• Peal the pears, cut in half and remove seeds.
• Sauté the pears 8-10 minutes, turning them from time to time.
• When ready, put some mascarpone on a plate, put half a pear on it, cover with caramelized spiced honey and cover with roughly grounded fried almonds (or pistachio).

EASY BAKED PEARS WITH AMARETTI

Steps:

• Cut each pear in half, then place on a large baking tray. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the cores and make a dip in the centre of each pear. If your pears are firm, you may need to use a sharp knife to do this. Dollop about 1 heaped tsp ricotta into each dip, then sprinkle over the cinnamon and drizzle with a little honey.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, then roast the pears for 10 mins. Tip the biscuits into a food bag and use a rolling pin to lightly crush them. Remove the pears from the oven, then scatter the crumbs over each pear. Return to the oven for another 10 mins or until the pears are soft and the biscuit golden brown. Serve drizzled with honey.