The cardamom and cinnamon flavours of this poaching liquid adsorb perfectly into the flesh of the pears. It’s a simple but decadent desert that will certainly impress.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 firm pears, peeled 
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 orange peels
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Scraped seeds from 1 vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence)
• 50 g butter
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar (you can substitute with caster sugar)
• 350 ml water

To serve:

• 2 tablespoons pistachio nuts (roughly chopped)
• 4 tablespoons mascarpone

METHOD

1. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat. Add both the vanilla pod and seeds, cardamom pods (lightly cracked with the flat side of a knife), cinnamon sticks and coconut sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then add the juice of the orange and lemon, the orange peel and the water. Bring to a simmer and then lower the heat.
2. Slice the peeled pears in half and scoop out the seed area with a small spoon. Place the pears into the simmering poaching liquid and poach for 25-30 minutes to allow all of the flavours to absorb into the flesh. Gently spoon over the poaching liquid if the pears are not completely submerged. Take them off the heat once they become soft and have a light golden colour.
3. Add the mascarpone with half of the chopped pistachio nuts in a small bowl, mix together and set a side.
4. Serve the pears warm with a dollop of the pistachio mascarpone placed in the hollowed out seed area of the pear. Spoon over a little of the poaching liquid and sprinkle the remaining the pistachio nuts.

Serves: 4
Takes: 40 mins

Recipe & pics by Bonnie Coumbe. See her site here and Insta here.