One of the joys of making poached pears is the fragrant, spicy aroma that fills the house. Another is seeing the pale flesh of the pears gradually transform to pure crimson. And then there is the ultimate joy of eating them! Poached pears make an elegant, grown-up, yet stunningly simple dessert. They are deliciously comforting and warming, yet not as heavy as winter puddings often can be. This is an excellent option if you are looking for a gluten-free dessert. It's also nice to know that it makes for one of your five-a-day and if you skip the mascarpone cream it's fat-free too (personally I wouldn't - the cream adds a lovely richness to...