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Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream

4.80 from 30 votes

Total Time: 55 mins

By Carol

Updated Feb 18, 2022, Published Dec 16, 2015

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Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream is a sexy, holiday dessert that will have everyone talking!

Red wine poached pears have got to be the quintessential holiday dessert!  Love that they’re on the light side, too!

Whether you need a show-stopping, sophisticated dessert or just want something easy you can make ahead of time for a special holiday dinner these Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream are the solution.

Wine-poached pears–whether in red wine or white wine–are a classic, French preparation that doesn’t require an Escoffier degree.  Serving them only makes you look like you attended a French culinary school!

What are the ideal pears for poaching?

Bosc (or Kaiser) pears are ideal for poaching because they keep their shape when cooked.  However, any pear that is not overly ripe can work.  Pears are the perfect ripeness for poaching when they yield slightly to pressure but are still firm.  Look for pears that are free of blemishes as having to remove them can affect the appearance.

Tips for peeling pears:

When peeling them for these Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears, work in long, even strokes to avoid a choppy or uneven appearance.  A vegetable peeler works perfectly.  You also want to be careful not to bruise them.

Tips for poaching pears:

It’s important to periodically turn the pears while they’re poaching to ensure even cooking and consistent ruby-red color.  You also want to turn them occasionally while they’re cooling in the red wine mixture because they continue to soak up the mixture.

How to serve:

• I serve with a simple vanilla mascarpone whipped cream.  For less work, gently heat them back up in the poaching liquid and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
• Be sure to give your guests both a fork AND a spoon to enjoy this dessert–a fork to help secure the pear and the spoon to eat it with.

Happy holidays!

More great desserts you’ll love:

• Easy Raspberry Coffee Cake
• Grilled Pound Cake with Balsamic-Macerated Strawberries and Mascarpone Cream
• Blueberry Crumble Bars
• Raspberry Ricotta Cake with Almonds

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4.80 from 30 votes

Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream

By Carol | From A Chef’s Kitchen

Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream is a sexy, holiday dessert that will have everyone talking!

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 55 minutes mins

Servings: 2

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Equipment

• Vegetable Peeler
• Saucepan
• Hand Mixer

Ingredients 

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Pears

• ▢ 3 cups dry red wine, such as cabernet or merlot
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 long strip orange peel, approximately 1-inch by 4-inch
• ▢ 1 large orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
• ▢ 1 cinnamon stick
• ▢ 2 whole whole cloves
• ▢ 2 firm, ripe Bosc pears

Whipped Cream

• ▢ 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• ▢ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions 

Pears

• Combine wine, sugar, orange peel, orange juice, cinnamon stick and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• While poaching liquid is simmering, peel pears, leaving the stem intact and being careful not to bruise the pears.
• Slice a small amount from the bottom of the pears to create a flat bottom if necessary so the pears stand upright.
• Gently place the pears in the poaching liquid. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes (depending upon size), turning every 5 minutes with a slotted spoon to ensure even color. Pears should be cooked but still firm.
• Cool at room temperature, turning occasionally to ensure even color.
• When the pears have cooled to room temperature, refrigerate in the liquid at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally to maintain even color.
• To serve: Remove pears from poaching liquid and place on a serving plate.
• Strain poaching liquid and place back in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until reduced by at least half. Liquid should be slightly syrupy. Let cool to room temperature.
• Drizzle pears with sauce and serve with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream.

Whipping Cream

• Combine cream, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla extract in a small, deep bowl. Beat until thick and the consistency of whipped cream, about 5-7 minutes. Serve with pears.

Notes

TIP:

• Pears are the perfect ripeness for poaching when they yield slightly to pressure but are still firm. Look for pears free of blemishes, as removing them can affect their appearance.
• When peeling the pears, work in long, even strokes to avoid a choppy or uneven appearance.  A vegetable peeler works perfectly.  You also want to be careful not to bruise them.
• It’s important to periodically turn the pears while they’re poaching to ensure even cooking and consistent ruby-red color.  You also want to turn them occasionally while they’re cooling in the red wine mixture because they continue to soak up the mixture.

MAKE AHEAD:

• Cool at room temperature, turning occasionally to ensure even color.
• When the pears have cooled to room temperature, refrigerate in the liquid for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally to maintain even color.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Calories: 1073kcalCarbohydrates: 110gProtein: 6gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 217mgFiber: 8gSugar: 88g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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