Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Poached Pears

By Dunjab

Ingredients

• for the panna cotta:
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole-milk greek-style yogurt
• for the pears:
• 1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup marsala
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cloves
• 1 6-inch strip orange peel (orange part only)
• 1 vanilla bean, split lenghwise
• 4 Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored

Preparation

Step 1

for panna cotta:
Place milk in a medium bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over; let stand until softened for 10 minutes. Place 1 cup cream and next 3 ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add gelatin mixture; stir until gelatin dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in remaining 1 cup cream and yogurt. Transfer to medium bowl. Cover; chill until set, at least 4 hours. (This can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

pears
Place first 7 ingredients in large saucepan (wide enough to fit 8 pear halves). Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 25 minutes. Add pears and simmer until soft, turning pears frequently, about 25 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. Remove pears set aside for serving. Strain syrup into another saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes.

to assemble:
Divide panna cotta evenly among 8 dessert dishes. Thinly slice pear halves. Place 1 atop panna cotta in each dish. Drizzle some syrup over. Pass remaining syrup