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Vanilla Bourbon Poached Pears with Mascarpone Cream

A beautifully glazed, whole poached pear topped with a swirl of whipped cream and syrup on a white plate.
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Make this elegant dessert easily. Tender pears simmer in a fragrant vanilla bourbon syrup, creating a sophisticated treat perfect for holidays or dinner parties. Serve with a simple mascarpone topping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 firm pears (Bosc or Anjou recommended)
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. If needed, slice a thin layer off the bottom so they stand upright.
  2. In a saucepan large enough to hold the pears standing up, combine the water, granulated sugar, bourbon, vanilla bean seeds and pod, orange slices, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Gently place the pears into the simmering liquid. The liquid should mostly cover the pears; add a little more water if necessary.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan partially, and simmer the pears for 20 to 35 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Cooking time depends on the ripeness and size of your pears.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the pears cool completely in the poaching liquid to absorb more flavor.
  6. While the pears cool, prepare the cream: In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Once cooled, remove the pears from the liquid. If you wish to make a thicker syrup, remove the vanilla pod and spices from the liquid and boil the liquid rapidly until it reduces by half and thickens slightly.
  8. Serve the poached pears warm or chilled. Place one pear in a serving dish, spoon a generous amount of the mascarpone cream beside it, and drizzle with the reduced poaching syrup.

Notes

  • You can make this a Red Wine Poached Pears recipe by substituting 2 cups of the water with a dry red wine.
  • For a make ahead dessert, store the cooled pears submerged in their strained poaching liquid in the refrigerator for up to three days.
  • If you do not have bourbon, substitute it with an extra 1/2 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://completelyyummy.com/poached-pears-vanilla-bourbon-recipe/