Wine Poached Pears with Honey Vanilla Mascarpone - a decadent dessert with seasonal fall and winter fruit poached in wine and topped with a creamy honey vanilla mascarpone.
I love desserts. Chocolate, pies, ice cream, you name it, I’ll grab my spoon and have a little bit. But I’m not much of a baker. Don’t get me wrong, I love desserts, but when it comes to baked goods, I find my tendency to throw in things and not measure much, certainly a detriment to my baking results...
So when I was brainstorming a dessert to make for the holidays, I decided to go a different route. I love incorporating seasonal fruit - it adds natural sweetness and is generally more nutrient-dense. But of course I also enjoy those less nutrient-dense desserts from time-to-time too.
Wine-poached pears for the win! No baking required and we take advantage of seasonal fruit! So here we are with these elegant wine-poached pears with honey vanilla mascarpone. They’re simple, yet decadent and a perfect way to incorporate in-season fruit like pears!
Top the rich wine-poached pears with fluffy and creamy honey vanilla mascarpone and you’ve got a beautiful and balanced dessert worthy of company.
Hi there! Below you’ll find affiliate links to great products that we enjoy using in our own kitchen.
Ready to make these Wine-Poached Pears with Honey Vanilla Mascarpone? Let’s do it!
1 - Poach pears: Add pears, wine, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, cloves and lemon to a medium pot. Bring to a gentle simmer - don’t let the mixture boil rapidly. Let the pears simmer for 30-45 minutes, until they’re soft.
Generally softer and riper pears will poach much faster than firm, unripe pears. So adjust your timing accordingly based on the ripeness of your pears.
2 - Prepare mascarpone: While the pears are simmering, prepare the mascarpone. Combine the mascarpone, honey and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk until the mascarpone is fluffy and the honey and vanilla are well-combined.
3 - Serve pears with a drizzle of the wine mixture and a dollop of honey-vanilla mascarpone. Enjoy!
Wine-Poached Pears with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone: Tips, Tricks, and Tools
I like to use Bosc or Anjou pears because they hold their shape best without becoming too mushy.
Substitute apple juice or apple cider instead of wine. The alcohol will cook out a little, but you can certainly use apple juice or apple cider instead of wine.
Peel the pears first. Though I generally advocate for eating the skins of fruit/vegetables for their added nutrients, these pears do better when peeled first. But don’t throw out the peels - they contain lots of fiber and nutrients! I like to dehydrate them for a quick snack or puree them to put in oatmeal. Rethink your food scraps!
Are you a wine lover like me? Pour yourself a glass of the mulled wine to go with your poached pears!
Poached pears keep well in the fridge and always make for delicious leftovers. Store the pears and the mascarpone separately. I like to cut up the poached pears and put them in oatmeal with with ice cream.
Make it vegan by using coconut cream instead of mascarpone.
We hope you love these elegant Wine-Poached Pears with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone
- A decadent dessert featuring season fall and winter fruit
- Packed with fiber and nutrients like vitamins C and K
- A very simple fruit-based dessert
Love this simple fruit-based dessert recipe? Check out our other delicious Dessert Recipes like a Peach Galette or our Cinnamon Baked Apples.
Did you enjoy these Wine-Poached Pears with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone as much as we do?
Comment below! And rate the recipe to let us know how it turned out! Not make them today? Save these Wine-Poached Pears with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone for later by pinning it to your Dessert Board and make sure to tag us at The Crooked Carrot Instagram to show us your Wine-Poached Pears with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone creations.
"Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless-like water. If you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend." - Bruce Lee
Wine Poached Pears with Honey Vanilla Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 4 pears (ripe) bosc or anjou, peeled
- ½ bottle red wine
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2.5 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
- 2 cardamom pods or pinch of ground cardamom
- 4 whole cloves or 1 heaping teaspoon of ground cloves
- ½ lemon
- ½ cup mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon honey raw and local
Instructions
- Poach: Add pears, wine, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, cloves and lemon to a medium pot. Bring to a gentle boil (don’t let it boil rapidly!) and let simmer ~40-45 minutes or until pears are soft.
- Whisk: While pears are poaching, use a whisk to whip mascarpone, honey and vanilla until combined.
- Dish up: Serve pears with a drizzle of wine (or a glass of the mulled wine!) and a dollop of honey-vanilla mascarpone. Enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that should you purchase something through the link, The Crooked Carrot will receive a small commission. The item cost remains the same regardless of whether you purchase through our link or not. Any commission earned simply helps us continue to provide all our great content to you. From seasonal recipes to simple nutrition insights & sustainable zero waste tips, we have lots more to give!
Leave a Reply