Cinnamon-Merlot Roasted Pears

DH and I made these as a dessert for a dinner party where we would be served Merlot. Everyone loved them. This is from my book, "The Wine Club" by Maureen Petrosky. I am posting the recipe as it is written, however, DH and I baked our pears, having already halved them, as we could not fit them into the 8X8X2-inch baking dish whole. This worked out fine. According to the recipe, these pears will serve 12 if halved, and 24 if cut into quarters.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 12-24

Ingredients

• 6  large  ripe bosc pears
• 1  cup  merlot
• 1  cup cherry juice
• 2  cinnamon sticks
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup mascarpone cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear and insert an apple corer; twist and pull to remove cores.
2. Combine Merlot, cherry juice, and cinnamon sticks in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Add pears. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until pears are tender, spooning liquid over pears every 15 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F Remove pears from baking dish. Pour liquid into a saucepan; stir in sugar and salt.
4. Gently boil liquid for 10-12 minutes or until reduced to a syrup. Return pears to baking dish and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
5. To serve 12, cut each pear in half; to serve 24, cut each pear into quarters. Drizzle syrup over pears; dollop with mascarpone cheese.