Fresh Gingerbread With Port-poached Pears

–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.