Vanilla-poached pears with vanilla mascarpone ice-cream

Pears

½ cup	Sugar
1 cup	Water
1	Vanilla pod
6	Pears, peeled, cores removed and halved (Main)
1 Tbsp	Lemon juice

Ice-cream

300 g	Mascarpone (Main)
1 cup	Yoghurt, plain
¾ cup	Caster sugar
1 Tbsp	Vanilla paste
½ cup	Milk

Directions

For the pears

1. Bring water and sugar to the boil.
2. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Place seeds and the pod in the syrup.
3. Simmer for five minutes. Add the pears and poach, turning once, until tender - about 10 minutes.
4. Lift the pears into a serving bowl. Boil the syrup and lemon juice for five minutes then pour over the pears.
5. Remove vanilla pod. Cool. Chill until ready to serve.

For the ice-cream

1. Whisk the ingredients together, until well blended.
2. Freeze in an icecream maker or place in a bowl, cover and freeze until almost solid.
3. Beat well then return to the freezer.