1. For the Sticky Vanilla-Orange Cream
Combine the whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with ginger, cinnamon, sugar and orange rind. Stir frequently and allow the spices to infuse into the warm cream for 5 minutes. When it is quite warm, whisk in the mascarpone. You will have to do a fair amount of work to get it smooth, as the mascarpone will be very thick and sticky, but it will eventually all come together. Allow the mixture to heat back up until it is very warm to quite hot, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. While it is heating, whisk the yolks rapidly in a metal bowl until pale. Add a half cup of the hot mascarpone mixture to the yolks and whisk in quickly. Transfer the yolk mixture back to the mascarpone in the pot and continue to whisk gently over medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and Cointreau, and strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Press cling film to the surface and place in the fridge to cool.
2. For the Pears:
Combine water, sugar, cinnamon and port in a saucepan just barely large enough to allow the pears to all lay on their sides. Bring it to a simmer, immerse the pears, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. If your pears are not quite covered to the top, turn them gently with tongs every 10 minutes.
Once the pears are cooked all the way through, remove them from the cooking liquid carefully using a slotted spoon and set them aside, covered to cool. If you want them a deep red colour, you can leave them for a few hours (or overnight) to cool in the pot of poaching liquid, but you will have to remember to turn them if the liquid does not completely cover them.
3. For the Port Syrup:
Simmer the poaching liquid over medium heat until it is reduced in volume to about a 2/3 of a cup and has thickened slightly. Do not let it reduce too much or become too thick unless you want port flavoured toffee! Remove from the stove to cool.
At this point you can refrigerate everything for assembly later (or the next day) or you can serve it now. If you do decide to refrigerate it for serving later, you can warm the pears slightly by popping them in the microwave for about 30 second each. The cream should remain cooled as it must be thick enough to stand the pears up in!
When you are ready to serve, drop a mound of the cream onto a serving plate. Stand a pear upright in the centre of the cream. Use a spoon to drizzle port syrup over the pear and down onto the cream. Use a small skewer to poke a hole in the top of the pear near the stem. Insert the stem of the sage leaf into the hole and curl it over gently with your fingers.
