Red Wine Poached Pears with Whipped Mascarpone

There’s an undeniable elegance in a dessert like Red Wine Poached Pears with Whipped Mascarpone. The rich aroma of spiced red wine filling our kitchen turns even an ordinary evening into something extraordinary. This Quick, Homemade recipe became a favorite after my husband and I first made it for a cozy dinner party. The tender, sweet pears soaked in warm spices and red wine pair beautifully with the creamy, lightly sweetened mascarpone. It’s a dessert that feels luxurious but is surprisingly easy to prepare—perfect for impressing guests or savoring a romantic night in.

Table of Contents

• About This Recipe
• Key Ingredients
• How To Make Red Wine Poached Pears with Whipped Mascarpone
• Have It Your Way
• Nutritional Facts
• Health Benefits
• Other Recipes You’ll Love

About This Recipe

Poaching pears in red wine is a timeless culinary technique that traces its roots to European cuisine, especially in France and Italy. The process infuses the pears with a rich ruby hue and a symphony of flavors from spices like cinnamon and star anise. It’s a dessert that feels fancy enough for a dinner party but is surprisingly simple to make. Plus, when served with the silky whipped mascarpone, it achieves a perfect balance of sophistication and comfort.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Visually Stunning: The deep red color of the pears is a showstopper.
2. Balanced Flavors: Sweet pears, bold wine, and creamy mascarpone create a harmonious trio.
3. Make-Ahead Friendly: Perfect for entertaining, as the pears can be prepared in advance.
4. Customizable: Adjust the spices or wine to suit your taste.

Key Ingredients

For the Poached Pears:

• Pears: Choose firm varieties like Bosc or Anjou for best results.
• Red Wine: A dry wine like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon works well.
• Sugar: Sweetens the poaching liquid and balances the wine.
• Cinnamon Sticks: Add warmth and spice.
• Lemon Zest: Enhances the fruitiness of the wine.
• Almond: Sprinkle chopped almonds for added texture

How To Make Red Wine Poached Pears with Whipped Mascarpone

1. Peel the pears and remove the fibrous bottom. Be sure to leave the stalk on for handling.

2. Add the pears to a large pot along with the red wine, the white sugar, the lemon peels and the cinnamon sticks. Try to submerge the pears completely, otherwise you’ll need to turn the pears half way through cooking.

3. Cover the pot, and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat until the pears are tender. To check, gently insert the tip of a knife — it is goes in without resistance, they’re ready. The cooking time will take about 30+ minutes, depending on the variety and ripeness of the pear. After 30 minutes, check frequently for doneness to avoid overcooking.

4. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely. At this point the pears are ready to be served, however we highly recommend leaving the pears in the poaching liquid overnight to allow the pears to absorb the liquid for a deep flavor and rich purple color. So ideally it’s best to do this step the day prior to serving.

5. The day when the pears are to be served, make the whipped mascarpone cream by adding the mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar to a large bowl and whipping it to stiff peaks using a hand mixer or stand mixer. If the whip is overwhipped, add a little more heavy whipping cream.

6. Once the pears are removed from the poaching liquid, remove the lemon zest and cinnamon sticks. Then over a medium heat, reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. Stirring occasionally. You want a light or thin syrupy consistency, at which point remove from the pot to a serving vessel. As this syrup cools, it will thicken to a desired consistency. If the syrup comes too thick, you can always add a little water and reduce the syrup to desired consistency again.

7. When serving, add a generous spoonful of whipped mascarpone cream to each serving plate, and sprinkle it with chopped almonds. Then place the pear slightly resting on the cream, and then drizzle the red wine reduction sauce on top of the pear.

8. Serve and Enjoy!

Have It Your Way

1. Swap the Wine: Use white wine or even sparkling cider for a lighter twist.
2. Go Dairy-Free: Replace mascarpone with a coconut cream whip for a vegan option.
3. Add Nuts: Sprinkle chopped pistachios or pecans for added texture.
4. Spice It Up: Experiment with cloves, nutmeg, or cardamom in the poaching liquid.

Nutritional Facts

• Calories: ~300 per serving
• Carbs: ~40g
• Protein: ~4g
• Fat: ~12g
• Fiber: ~5g

Health Benefits

1. Rich in Antioxidants: Thanks to the red wine and pears.
2. Natural Sweetness: The pears satisfy a sweet tooth with minimal added sugar.
3. Probiotic Potential: Mascarpone offers healthy fats and potential gut benefits.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Eggless Chocolate Cake
• Mango Sago
• Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
• Mango Sticky Rice
• Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Red Wine Poached Pears with Whipped Mascarpone

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Cooling TIme 1 day d

Total Time 1 day d

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 Bosc Pears Firm variety are best, soft break apart
• ▢ 750 ml Red Wine Sweeter preferrable
• ▢ ⅓ cup White Sugar
• ▢ Lemon Peel half of a lemon
• ▢ 1 Cinnamon stick
• ▢ 3.5 oz Mascarpone Cheese
• ▢ 7 oz Heavy Whipping Cream
• ▢ 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• ▢ 3 oz Almonds chopped or slivered

Instructions

 

• Peel the pears and remove the fibrous bottom. Be sure to leave the stalk on for handling.
• Add the pears to a large pot along with the red wine, the white sugar, the lemon peels and the cinnamon sticks. Try to submerge the pears completely, otherwise you'll need to turn the pears half way through cooking.
• Cover the pot, and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat until the pears are tender. To check, gently insert the tip of a knife — it is goes in without resistance, they’re ready. The cooking time will take about 30+ minutes, depending on the variety and ripeness of the pear. After 30 minutes, check frequently for doneness to avoid overcooking.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely. At this point the pears are ready to be served, however we highly recommend leaving the pears in the poaching liquid overnight to allow the pears to absorb the liquid for a deep flavor and rich purple color. So ideally it's best to do this step the day prior to serving.
• The day when the pears are to be served, make the whipped mascarpone cream by adding the mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar to a large bowl and whipping it to stiff peaks using a hand mixer or stand mixer. If the whip is overwhipped, add a little more heavy whipping cream.
• Once the pears are removed from the poaching liquid, remove the lemon zest and cinnamon sticks. Then over a medium heat, reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. Stirring occasionally. You want a light or thin syrupy consistency, at which point remove from the pot to a serving vessel. As this syrup cools, it will thicken to a desired consistency. If the syrup comes too thick, you can always add a little water and reduce the syrup to desired consistency again.
• When serving, add a generous spoonful of whipped mascarpone cream to each serving plate, and sprinkle it with chopped almonds. Then place the pear slightly resting on the cream, and then drizzle the red wine reduction sauce on top of the pear.
• Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

1. Choose Ripe but Firm Pears: Overripe pears may become mushy.
2. Don’t Boil the Wine: Simmer gently to retain flavor and texture.
3. Serve Warm or Cold: The pears taste amazing either way.
4. Refrigerate Leftovers: Store poached pears in the poaching liquid to keep them moist and flavorful.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 300kcal

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