Candied Apples or Pears Filled with Creamy Mascarpone and Aromatic Fruit Pearls

A refined dessert that can be adapted to your favorite natural sugars and fruits

Ingredients

For the candied fruit:

• 2 whole apples (Pink Lady, Golden…) or pears (Williams, Comice…), unpeeled

• 50 g natural sugar (muscovado, rapadura, or coconut sugar)

• 20 g butter

• 250 ml water

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the mascarpone filling:

• 100 g mascarpone

• 200 ml very cold heavy cream (whipping cream)

• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• 2 tbsp chopped dried fruits (raisins, walnuts, almonds…)

• Ground cinnamon (optional)

For the fruit pearls (depending on the fruit used):

• 200 ml apple juice or pear juice

• 1 tbsp Calvados (if using apple)
  or

• 1 tbsp Williams pear brandy (if using pear)

• 1 g agar-agar (about ½ tsp)

• Very cold neutral oil (sunflower or canola) for pearl formation

Preparation

1. Candy the apples or pears

In a saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and lemon juice until it begins to boil.
Add the whole unpeeled apples or pears to the simmering syrup.
Cook over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape.
Carefully remove and let cool completely.

2. Make the fruit pearls

In a small saucepan, combine the fruit juice (apple or pear), corresponding alcohol (Calvados or Williams pear brandy), and agar-agar.
Bring to a boil while whisking, then let boil for 1–2 minutes to activate the agar-agar.
Allow to cool slightly to about 40–50°C (the mixture should still be liquid).
Using a pipette or fine syringe, drop the mixture into a bowl of very cold oil. The droplets will form pearls as they set.
Collect the pearls using a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove any oil.
Refrigerate the pearls until serving time.

Note: You can also purchase ready-made fruit pearls, also known as fruit caviar or flavor pearls. Common in gastronomy, pastry, and mixology, they add both visual appeal and flavor to dishes.

Popular flavors include:
Raspberry, blackcurrant, strawberry, lemon, yuzu, passion fruit, mango, cherry, green apple, pear, blood orange, balsamic, ginger, sweet chili, mint, rose, violet, and liqueurs (Grand Marnier, Calvados, Cointreau, Limoncello, Amaretto, Chartreuse, Curaçao, Chambord, Poire Williams, rum, Cognac).

3. Prepare the fluffy mascarpone filling

Whip the cold cream into stiff peaks.
In a bowl, loosen the mascarpone with honey (and cinnamon, if using).
Gently fold in the whipped cream to obtain a light and airy mousse.
Add the chopped dried fruits and a portion of the fruit pearls, folding gently to preserve texture.

4. Stuff the candied fruit

Once the apples or pears are completely cooled, carefully core them from the top without piercing the bottom.
Fill each cavity with the fluffy mascarpone mixture.

5. Plating and serving

Place the filled apples or pears on serving plates.
Decorate with the remaining fruit pearls on top for a sparkling, beaded effect.
You may also drizzle a bit of honey, add a dusting of cinnamon, or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for added indulgence.

Result

A refined, tender, and contrast-rich dessert:
The syrupy softness of the candied fruit, the airy mascarpone mousse, the crunch of chopped nuts, and the aromatic freshness of Calvados or Williams Pear pearls.