Crispin Cider Poached Pears with Ginger and Walnut Mascarpone
1 Cup water
1 cup Original Crispin Cider
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 Large firm, unblemished pears
Fresh Lemon juice
Ground cinnamon
Mix water, cider and sugar in a large frying pan and heat up slowly, stirring now
and then to dissolve sugar, and when you’re not stirring, prepare pears. Peel,
halve and core them, then place them in the bubbling syrup, rounded sides up.
They should fit the pan snugly. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently
for about 30 minutes or until soft but still perfectly shaped; test with a sharp
skewer. If done, use a slotted spoon to arrange the pears, rounded sides up, in
a shallow serving dish. Taste the syrup in the pan, and if it is too sweet, add a
dash of lemon juice. Increase the heat and boil, uncovered, until very bubbly
and syrupy – a matter of minutes. Pour over the pears, dust lightly with
cinnamon, cool, cover and refrigerate.
Ginger and Walnut Mascarpone
125g Mascarpone
A few drops of vanilla essence
1 Tbsp sifted icing sugar
1 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp chopped walnuts
2 –3 finely chopped preserved ginger
Using an electric hand-held whisk, whisk the mascarpone, vanilla, icing sugar
and milk. This takes longer to get the results than whipping cream, but it does
whip up a lighter mascarpone with increased volume. Fold in walnuts and
ginger and refrigerate. Serve 1 – 2 pear halves per diner with a dollop of
mascarpone at the side