Ingredients

Scale

4 – 6 ripe pears
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
A small sprig of fresh rosemary

For the filling:

4 oz. mascarpone cheese
1 oz. light cream cheese
1 oz. Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon of the rosemary wine syrup (after reduction)
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

For the topping: Cinnamon ginger candied walnuts (recipe here) … or you can use store-bought candied walnuts

Instructions

Peel the pears carefully, leaving stems intact. Slice vertically, then use a melon baller to neatly remove the core.
In a large saucepan, mix the red wine, vanilla and sugar. Add the cinnamon stick and rosemary and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, gently add the pears, and simmer for 10 minutes, then flip the pears to poach the other side. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the pears are fork-tender. Let the cheeses set out while while you’re poaching pears to warm them.
Remove from heat and let the pears bathe in the lovely liquid for about 30 minutes, then using a slotted spoon, gently remove the pears from the pan and bring the wine mixture back to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or so or until the syrup is reduced by about half.
Once the syrup is done, make the filling: stir together the mascarpone, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, wine syrup, honey, and chopped rosemary. Get out the mixer and quickly whip the cheese mixture until it’s fluffy and everything is well mixed.
Set your pears on serving plates. Add a small spoonful of the filling to each pear half, drizzle with a bit of the red wine syrup, then add candied walnuts on top. Garnish with fresh rosemary if desired.

Notes

The “bathing” time for the pears is optional. You can remove the pears from the syrup immediately after poaching. I just left them in there for a while longer to let more of that lovely red wine color and taste soak in to infuse the pears completely.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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Nutrition

Serving Size: serve each person either a half or whole pear