Recipe help needed

Hi all! Amongst other dishes, I'm planning on making a banoffee for Christmas (full fat, sugar, etc.), but would also like to make poached pears. My DIL can't have red wine, the traditional poaching liquid, which can trigger migraines. So I thought I'd use a strong vanilla-and cinnamon infused tea of some sort. In the past I've used hibiscus tea for this, since its imparts a beautiful deep pink color. But taste-wise I a hearty vanilla-y rooibos tea might be better, and I could add a slice or two of beet into the liquid, which for sure would add beautiful color. Then I will core the pears and pipe them full of a mascarpone filling.

I haven't made this before without sugar. The poaching liquid needs sweetening, as does the mascarpone. I don't want to use sugar because two people who will be there don't eat sugar, and of course neither do I. Though stuff like Equal and Splenda works just fine for me, I am concerned that everyone will enjoy the pears and not feel that they have any weird aftertaste from the sweetener, hence my dilemma. Another possibility is to reduce a bottle of Jordan's Skinny Syrup, which doesn't seem to be objectionable that way. I think the most universally appealing flavor is Salted Caramel, but I actually don't know if it will reduce so that it thickens (to be poured over the pears at he end). I suppose I could just add it to the tea as the pears poach. I also will need to sweeten the mascarpone slightly. The syrup would alter the dense creaminess too much, as it needs to stay dense rather than liquidy.

Any thoughts?

I cook down berries in SF Torani syrup all the time (although I occasionally have to add some kind of thickener at the end - but not always. Some berries have a lot of pectin in them, so that'll usually thicken things up). I've never tried it with pears, though...

edited to add that the syrup will reduce if you cook it down. I sometimes have to thicken berry sauces, though, because the berries put out A TON of water while they're cooking.

Thank you. I do recall you mentioning this before. I don't really like the raspberry Skinny Syrup but if I cooked raspberries down in it it might taste better. I'm fondest of the buttery caramel flavors when it comes to those syrups, though I also really like the mind chocolate chip flavor (in Grinch green!).

Google seems to conclude that Splenda has the least discernable taste difference from sugar. Maybe I will just add some Splenda to the poaching liquid and mascarpone, and will reduce some syrup (possibly with berries) and serve it in a little pitcher on the side. That seems safest!

What thickener do you prefer?

I often use the food thickener powder they have at places like CVS and Walgreens. But something like xantham gum or guar gum should also work. Or mix a little cornstarch into a little water and dump that in...

edited to add if you ever add xantham gum or guar gum to anything, just add a little - like a fraction of a teaspoon. It'll quickly turn gummy if you add too much. UGH!

Thanks for the tip. I'll be careful!

I'm not good with this sort of off-the-cuff recipe stuff, but thought I would chime in (and complicate things, lol) to say that I personally find the skinny syrups have much more of a yucky after taste than just plain packet of Splenda. I have bought a bunch of flavors from a few different brands over the years and eventually thrown them all away. I'd rather have the pears unsweetened!

Thanks JB!

The sweetener whey low has no aftertaste. https://www.wheylow.com/

Interesting! This is a new one for me! Thank you.