Mulled Wine Poached Pears With Mascarpone

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings (4 whole pears)
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes (including chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 4 firm pears (Bosc or Anjou), peeled, stems left on
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 medium orange (peel in wide strips + 2 tbsp juice)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole star anise pods
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (225 g) mascarpone cheese
• 2–3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
• Optional: chopped pistachios or toasted almonds for garnish

Do This

• 1. Peel pears, keeping stems attached; trim a thin slice off the base so they stand upright.
• 2. In a medium pot, combine wine, water, sugar, orange peel and juice, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and vanilla; bring to a gentle simmer.
• 3. Add pears on their sides, cover partially, and simmer 25–30 minutes, turning every 5–7 minutes, until just tender.
• 4. Let pears cool in the liquid, then chill at least 2 hours (or overnight) in the fridge.
• 5. Whisk mascarpone with powdered sugar and orange zest until smooth; chill until serving.
• 6. To serve, reduce some poaching liquid to a syrup, stand pears on plates, spoon over syrup, add a dollop of mascarpone, and garnish with nuts.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Elegant enough for a dinner party, but simple enough for a cozy weekend treat.
• The pears soak up deep mulled-wine flavor with star anise, cinnamon, and orange.
• Mostly make-ahead: the pears are even better after a night in the fridge.
• Light yet luxurious, with silky mascarpone cream balancing the warm spices.

Grocery List

• Produce: 4 firm pears, 1 orange, optional fresh herbs (thyme or mint) for garnish
• Dairy: Mascarpone cheese
• Pantry: Dry red wine, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, optional nuts (pistachios or almonds)

Full Ingredients

For the Mulled Wine Poaching Liquid

• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (Merlot, Tempranillo, or other medium-bodied wine)
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 medium orange:
  • Peel cut into 4–6 wide strips (avoid too much white pith)
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole star anise pods
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped)

For the Pears

• 4 firm, ripe pears (about 150–180 g each), Bosc or Anjou recommended

For the Orange Mascarpone Cream

• 1 cup (225 g) mascarpone cheese, chilled
• 2–3 tbsp (15–25 g) powdered sugar, to taste
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) milk or cream, only if needed to loosen the texture

Optional Garnishes

• 2–3 tbsp chopped pistachios or toasted sliced almonds
• Extra strips of orange zest
• Reserved whole spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise) for plate decoration
• Small sprigs of fresh thyme or mint (optional for color)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare and Peel the Pears

Choose pears that are ripe but quite firm; they should give just slightly when pressed near the stem. Too-soft pears will fall apart while poaching. Rinse and dry them.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel each pear from stem to base in long strokes, keeping the shape smooth and even. Try to leave the stems intact for a prettier presentation. Cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each pear so it can stand upright later on the plate.

If you like, you can core the pears from the base using a small melon baller or paring knife, but this is optional. Set the prepared pears aside while you make the mulled wine.

Step 2: Build the Mulled Wine Poaching Liquid

In a medium saucepan or wide pot (large enough to fit all four pears snugly on their sides), combine the red wine, water, and granulated sugar. Add the orange peel strips, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, whole cloves, and vanilla extract.

Place the pot over medium heat and stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Once the liquid reaches a gentle simmer (small bubbles around the edges, not a rolling boil), reduce the heat to medium-low. Taste carefully: it should be lightly sweet and warmly spiced. You can add a bit more sugar if you prefer a sweeter syrup.

Step 3: Poach the Pears Gently

Slide the peeled pears into the gently simmering liquid, laying them on their sides. The liquid should mostly cover the pears; if not, add a bit more water or wine to almost submerge them.

Partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Maintain a very gentle simmer for 25–30 minutes, turning the pears every 5–7 minutes so they color evenly. Avoid letting the liquid boil hard, which can make the fruit mealy or cause the pears to split.

The pears are done when a thin knife slides into the thickest part with little resistance, but they still hold their shape. Cooking time can vary slightly depending on pear size and firmness, so start checking around 20 minutes.

Step 4: Cool and Chill the Pears in the Syrup

When the pears are tender, remove the pot from the heat and let everything cool to room temperature with the pears still in the poaching liquid. This cooling time allows more color and flavor to infuse into the fruit.

Once cooled, carefully transfer the pears and all of the liquid (including the spices and orange peel) to a heat-safe container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. The longer they chill, the deeper the color and flavor will become.

Step 5: Make the Orange Mascarpone Cream

While the pears chill, prepare the mascarpone cream. In a medium bowl, add the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Whisk or stir with a spoon until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness, adding a bit more powdered sugar if desired.

If the mascarpone is very thick, you can whisk in 1–2 tbsp of milk or cream, a little at a time, until it becomes softly spoonable but still holds its shape. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 6: Reduce the Poaching Liquid to a Syrup

When you are close to serving, remove the pears from the chilled liquid and set them on a plate. Strain the poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan to remove the spices and peel. (You can keep a few star anise pods and cinnamon sticks aside for decoration.)

Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium. Let it bubble gently for 8–12 minutes, or until it thickens slightly into a light syrup that coats the back of a spoon. It will continue to thicken a bit as it cools, so do not reduce it until it is too sticky. Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes; it should still be warm and pourable.

Step 7: Plate and Serve the Dessert

To serve, place one pear upright in a shallow bowl or on a dessert plate. Spoon 2–3 tbsp of the warm mulled-wine syrup around and lightly over each pear so it glistens. Add a generous dollop (about 2 tbsp) of orange mascarpone cream beside the pear.

Sprinkle with chopped pistachios or toasted almonds for crunch, and garnish with a twist of orange zest and a reserved star anise pod or cinnamon stick if you like. Serve immediately, while the pears and syrup are cool and the mascarpone is chilled and creamy.

Pro Tips

• Pick the right pears: Bosc and Anjou hold their shape best when cooked. Avoid very ripe, soft pears; they will fall apart.
• Keep the simmer gentle: A low, steady simmer prevents the pears from splitting and keeps the texture silky.
• Turn for even color: Rotate the pears regularly in the pot so they pick up an even ruby-red hue from the wine.
• Make it ahead: Poach the pears and refrigerate them in the liquid the day before. Reduce the syrup and plate just before serving.
• Use leftover syrup creatively: Any extra mulled-wine syrup is fantastic drizzled over vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or pancakes.

Variations

• White Wine and Vanilla Pears: Swap the red wine for a dry white wine, use less sugar (about 1/2 cup), and increase vanilla to 2 tsp. The pears will be pale and fragrant instead of ruby-red but equally elegant.
• Alcohol-Free Version: Replace the wine with a mix of pomegranate juice and red grape juice (about 2 1/2 cups total) plus 1 cup water. Keep the spices and orange the same; reduce the sugar slightly if your juices are very sweet.
• Extra-Spiced Winter Pears: Add 3–4 cardamom pods and a few thin slices of fresh ginger to the poaching liquid for a bolder, warming spice profile.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the poached pears submerged in their cooled poaching liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They actually taste better after at least one night in the fridge. The orange mascarpone cream can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator; give it a quick stir before serving. The reduced syrup will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for about 1 week; gently rewarm it on the stove or in short bursts in the microwave before using. This dessert does not freeze well, as the pears can become mushy after thawing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per serving (1 pear with syrup and mascarpone): 320 calories; 7 g protein; 15 g fat; 40 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 34 g sugars. Actual values will vary based on the wine used, how much syrup you serve, and your choice of garnishes.