Fresh gingerbread with port-poached pears

---------- 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 w/ stems
       4 c  Ruby Port
       2 c  Sugar
      15    1/8"-thick slices peeled
            -fresh ginger
       2    Cinnamon sticks
       1    Vanilla bean, split length.
 
 ------------------------------------CAKE------------------------------------
     1/4 c  Finely chopped peeled
            -fresh ginger
   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 temp.
     3/4 c  Firmly packed dk brown sugar
     1/3 c  Unsulfured (light) molasses
     1/3 c  Strong brewed coffee
       4 lg Eggs, room temp
       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, sturring
   until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer syrup 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 350F.
   Butter 9x13x2-inch pan. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Mix chopped
   ginger and 2 1/2 tablespoons 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
   bater 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 inch 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.
  
 -----