Spice poached pears with mascarpone

Ingredients

for the poached pears

• 4 pears (bosc or anjou pear)
• 1 lemon
• 2 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 10 cardamom
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 300 ml water

for the wine syrup

• 500 ml red wine (shiraz or merlot)
• 100 g caster sugar

for the mascarpone

• 300 g mascarpone
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence

for the macadamia brittle tuile

• 120 g macadamia brittle

Instructions

1. Prepare a bowl with cold water. With a peeler remove about three stripes of lemon peel from the lemon. Then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl of water.
2. Peel the pears and submerge them in the lemon water to avoid them from discolouring.
3. In a small pot combine the pears, red wine, 300ml of the lemon water, whole spices and sugar.
4. Cover with parchment paper (cartouche) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pears are cooked.
5. Check with a skewer or small knife the softness of the pear. The skewer should go through easily but the pears should not fall apart. Remove the pears from the stove and allow to cool down at room temperature.
6. Strain the cooking liquid into another pot. Place on high heat and reduce the liquid to 1/3rd or until it turns into a syrup like consistency.
7. Test the consistency by swirling onto a plate. If it seems runny, reduce further until desired consistency is reached. Be sure not to over reduce otherwise the syrup will be too thick and sticky.
8. Grate the zest of the other half of the lemon into the mascarpone. Add vanilla essence and combine well. Keep in the fridge until its time to plate up.
9. In a food processor mix the macadamia brittle turning it into a fine crumble consistency. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and keep the remaining crumbs for garnish.
10. Use a 60mm pastry ring or cut a ring from a yoghurt lid. Place the ring on a baking mat (or parchment paper) and create a thin layer of the macadamia crumble in the ring.
11. Remove the ring before placing the baking mat in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the tuile starts browning lightly. Place on a cold kitchen surface and let it cool down for a few minutes. Keep aside or store in an airtight container if made in advance. These are delicate so handle with care.
12. Cut the pears in half and scoop out the core with a melon baller. Slice one half of the pear with a knife lengthwise to make it resemble a hand fan.
13. Put a small amount of mascarpone in the centre of a plate. Place a pear on top with the inside facing up. Add a spoon of mascarpone on top of the pear and sprinkle some macadamia brittle on top. Add the other half of the pear with the fan cut and place against the mascarpone (resembling an open oyster shell).
14. Pour the reduced cooking liquid over the pear and around and garnish with the macadamia tuile.