Chestnut Honey-Baked Pears Stuffed with Mascarpone

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. 2

   Combine wine, 1/4 cup chestnut honey, water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan.

3. 3

   Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the seeds and the scraped bean to the pot.

4. 4

   Bring to a simmer, stirring.

5. 5

   Pour the poaching liquid into a baking dish just large enough to hold the pears.

6. 6

   Keeping stems intact, remove the core from the pear using a melon baller (apple corer) entering through the base and removing only the woody core and seeds.

7. 7

   Trim the skin off the base only of the pear and place upright in baking dish.

8. 8

   Bake the pears about 25 to 35 minutes or until tender.

9. 9

   You must baste the pears with the liquid every 5 to 7 minutes.

10. 10

    The skins should be crinkly.

11. 11

    Remove from oven and let cool in the liquid.

12. 12

    Combine the mascarpone with the remaining 1 tablespoon chestnut honey.

13. 13

    Using a pastry bag, fill each pear at its base with the mascarpone.

14. 14

    Serve drizzled with poaching syrup.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.