Poached pears with orange mascarpone

Looking for a fruity new dessert? Try this poached pears with orange mascarpone recipe. It uses alcohol-free wine, making it great for teetotal or pregnant pals. The tanginess contrasts perfectly with the creamy mascarpone to give a simple yet indulgent-tasting dessert.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

4 pears

500ml Eisberg Chardonnay

2tbsp honey

1 whole vanilla pod, split almost all the way lengthways

1 cinnamon stick

1 orange, zest and juice

With finely grated orange zest, to garnish

For the orange mascarpone:

A little orange zest and juice

2tbsp mascarpone cheese

1tsp icing sugar

Method

Find a saucepan in which the pears will sit neatly with their stalks up and without too much room around them. Peel the pears but keep the stalks attached and set aside. Pour the Eisberg alcohol-free wine into the pan and add the honey, vanilla pod and cinnamon stick. Using a vegetable peeler, peel most of the zest into the pan, then remove the rest using a zester or grater and set aside for the mascarpone.

Squeeze most of the juice from the orange into the pan but keep two teaspoons for the mascarpone. Turn on the heat and stir gently until the honey has dissolved then add the pears. Simmer very gently for 15-20 minutes until the pears are tender then remove them onto a plate.

Turn up the heat to high and boil the liquid until reduced and thickened to a glossy syrup, which will take about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the mascarpone into a small bowl and stir in the reserved orange zest and juice with the icing sugar.

Serve the pears with extra syrup poured over and a dollop of orange mascarpone on the side.

Recipe courtesy of Eisberg Alcohol Free Wine