Poached Pears with Cream and Salted Caramel

There’s something wonderfully unhurried about poaching pears. This dessert invites a sense of patience while filling your kitchen with the warming scents of cinnamon and citrus. Here, firm autumn pears are gently simmered in a spiced infusion of star anise, orange peel and maple, drawing out their natural sweetness without overwhelming them. 

The real charm lies in the balance. A drizzle of amber caramel, just bitter and salty enough to cut through the softness, and a generous cloud of mascarpone cream for it to sit on. Finished with a scattering of toasted nuts, this is the sort of dessert that lingers. Not just in flavour, but in memory. 

Of course, as with any simple dish, it’s the quality of your ingredients that does the talking. A well-chosen pear. A good maple syrup and the perfect hit of salt to elevate the dish to new levels. 

Ingredients:

• 4 pealed pears 
  
• 2 star anise 
  
• 2 sticks of cinnamon 
  
• 80g maple syrup 
  
• 4 strips of orange rind 
  
• Caramel 
  
• 100g sugar 
  
• 120ml double cream 
  
• 30g butter 
  
• Mascarpone cream 
  
• 250ml double cream 
  
• 80g icing sugar 
  
• 100g mascarpone 
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
  
• Crushed toasted nuts

Method: 

1. To poach the pears, begin by placing the star anise, cinnamon sticks, maple syrup, orange rind, and 1.5 litres of water into a large saucepan. Add the peeled pears and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the pears gently simmer for about 1 hour, or until they are lovely and tender. 
   
2. While the pears are poaching, make the caramel. Pour the sugar into a clean, dry saucepan and place it over medium heat without stirring. Let it gradually melt until it turns a deep amber colour. Carefully pour in the cream - it may bubble up - then add the butter. 
   
3. Stir gently until everything comes together into a smooth, silky caramel then add a few cracks of salt. If the sugar hardens when you add the cream, keep heating and stirring until it fully melts again. 
   
4. For the mascarpone cream, pour the double cream into a large mixing bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Whisk until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone and vanilla extract, then continue whisking until you reach stiff peaks. 
   
5. To serve, gently reheat the caramel until it's pourable. Spread a generous amount of the mascarpone cream in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Place a poached pear on top, drizzle with warm caramel, and scatter with the toasted nuts.