Warm Spiced Pears with Mascarpone Cream

Prep the Pears

1. Peel the pears, cut them in half lengthwise, and gently scoop out the central core and seeds using a small spoon or melon baller.

Cook the Pears

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger.
3. Place the pear halves cut-side down in the skillet. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes until the bottoms begin to turn golden and caramelize.
4. Pour in the orange juice and stir in the orange zest. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes. Spoon the juices over the pears occasionally, cooking until they are tender when pierced with a fork but still hold their shape.

Whip the Mascarpone Cream

5. While the pears are simmering, combine the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk vigorously by hand or with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth, thick, and holds soft peaks.

Serve

6. Spoon a generous dollop of the cool mascarpone cream onto each serving plate. Place two warm pear halves next to the cream, then generously drizzle the warm, spiced caramel sauce from the pan over the top of both the pears and the cream.