Cran-raspberry Cheesecake Pears

http://bakedchicago.typepad.com

10 Bosc pears
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cups cran-raspberry juice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup light cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

Peel pears. Trim bottoms so that they sit flat. Using a small spoon or
melon baller, scoop out and discard cores. Place pears in a very large,
heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add cinnamon sticks and juice. Scrape out seeds
from vanilla bean and stir in. Add scraped bean husks, too. Bring to a
boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer, occasionally turning pears over
to ensure even cooking, until almost tender (about 20 minutes). In bowl,
stir cream cheese with vanilla extract and ginger until mixed. Stir in
cranberries. Carefully spoon pears onto large platter. Cover and
refrigerate to cool completely. Boil remaining pear liquid in pan,
stirring often, until it reduces to 1/2 cup. The sauce will foam and
bubble toward the end of cooking, so be sure to stir often. Remove from
heat and discard cinnamon sticks and vanilla husks. To serve, fill pears
with cream cheese mixture. Place on plates and spoon sauce over the top.


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