Ingredients
750ml red wine (merlot or cabernet sauvignon)
250g caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
1 dried bay leaf
4 firm pears, peeled, stems left on
200g mascarpone
80g amaretti biscuits, crumbled
¼ cup icing sugar, sifted
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
Method
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Combine wine, sugar, vanilla bean and bay leaf in a large saucepan. Heat over a high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low.
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Meanwhile, use a melon baller to remove pear cores starting from the base and discard. Put pears in the wine mixture and add water to just cover them. Place a disc of baking paper on top and use a small plate to weight pears down to keep them immersed.
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Simmer pears gently for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from heat and cool pears in the liquid.
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Remove pears from liquid. Set aside. Return wine syrup to a medium heat and bring to boil. Boil for 20–25 minutes, until liquid has reduced and become syrupy.
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Put mascarpone, amaretti, icing sugar and orange zest in a large bowl and mix until smooth. Halve pears lengthways and fill holes with amaretti mixture.
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Serve pears drizzled with red wine syrup.