---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Fresh Gingerbread With Port-Poached Pears
 Categories: Desserts, Fruits/nuts, Cakes, Sauces
      Yield: 8 servings
 
-----------------------------------PEARS-----------------------------------
    1/4 c  Fresh lemon juice
      8 lg Firm but ripe pears with stems
      4 c  Ruby port
      2 c  Sugar
     15 sl Fresh ginger; peeled, 1/8"-thick
      2    Cinnamon sticks
      1    Vanilla bean; split length

------------------------------------CAKE------------------------------------
    1/4 c  Fresh ginger; peeled, minced
  2 1/2 tb Sugar
  2 2/3 c  All-purpose flour
  1 1/4 ts Baking soda
      1 tb Ground ginger
      2 ts Ground cinnamon
    3/4 ts Dry mustard powder
    1/4 ts Ground cloves
      1 c  Unsalted butter; room temperature
    3/4 c  Dark brown sugar; firmly packed
    1/3 c  Unsulfured light molasses
    1/3 c  Strong brewed coffee
      4 lg Eggs; room temperature
      1 c  Buttermilk; room temperature

-----------------------------------CREAM-----------------------------------
      1 c  Heavy or whipping cream
      2 tb Powdered sugar
    1/2 ts Vanilla extract
    1/4 ts Ground ginger
 
  For pears:

  Add lemon juice to large bowl of cold water. Peel pears, leaving
  stems intact. Use melon baller to remove core through bottom end.
  Add pears to bowl of water. Bring port, sugar, ginger, cinnamon
  sticks, and vanilla bean to boil in heavy large Dutch oven over
  high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to
  medium-low and simmer syrup for 10 minutes. Drain pears and add to
  syrup. Simmer until tender, turning frequently, about 20 minutes.
  Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to large container and stand
  upright. Boil syrup until reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 18 minutes. 
  Pour syrup over pears. Cover and chill. (Can be prepared 1 day
  ahead.)

  For cake:

  Position reack in center of oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter
  9x13x2" pan. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Mix chopped
  ginger and 2-1/2 tb sugar in small bowl. Let stand until syrup
  forms, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes. Mix flour, baking
  soda, and spices in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter
  and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add molasses, coffee,
  and chopped ginger mixture and beat until blended (mixture may look
  curdled). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. 
  Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients alternately with
  buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating
  after each addition until just blended. Transfer batter to prepared
  pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about
  30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool in pan. (Can be prepared 8
  hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

  For cream:

  Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and ground
  ginger in large bowl until firm peaks form. (Can be prepared
  3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewhip if necessary.) Cut
  gingerbread into 2-1/2" squares. Place 1 cake square and 1 pear on
  each of 8 plates.

  Spoon some syrup over each pear. Spoon dollop of whipped cream
  alongside.
 
-----