Tetley Earl Grey Poached Pears

Ingredients

8 cups Water

4 bags Tetley Earl Grey

1 cup Brown Sugar

½ inch slice Crystallised ginger

1 peel Orange, cut in strips

4 Pears

¼ cup Whipping Cream, chilled

¼ cup Mascarpone Cheese, chilled

1 TBSP Honey

1 sheet Parchment paper, cut into a circle that fits your saucepan

Method

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then add the Tetley Earl Grey tea bags, brown sugar, ginger and orange peel.
2. Remove from the heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, then remove tea bags.
3. Add the mixture back to the stovetop and allow to simmer over medium heat.
4. Use a paring knife to peel the pears and a small melon-baller to scoop out the core from the bottom.
5. Add pears to the poaching liquid and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
6. Cover pears with parchment paper circle to help keep them submerged and cook until just tender - about 10 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, remove pears from the saucepan and place into a serving dish, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
8. Strain the cooking liquid, then return to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.
9. To make the filling, mix the cream and mascarpone cheese together with the honey in a small bowl.
10. Use a piping bag to fill each pear from the bottom with creamy mascarpone mixture.
11. Spoon some of the reduced poaching liquid over each pear.
12. Serve immediately and enjoy.