Cranberry-Port Poached Pears with White Chocolate Cream

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cranberry juice and port. Add pears and cook over medium-high heat. Add star anise, lemon juice and zest, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 to15 minutes or until pears are tender but still firm.
Remove pears and cool in a bowl. Over medium heat, reduce poaching liquid by half into syrup. Cool syrup before spooning it over pears. Set aside.
White chocolate cream
Melt white chocolate in ¼ cup (60 mL) hot cream. Whip remaining cream until peaks form.
Gently stir melted chocolate into whipped cream until blended. Refrigerate.
Phyllo wafers
Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Brush each sheet of phyllo pastry with melted butter before laying another one on top of it. Cut into squares.
Place squares on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown.
To serve, place a pear in the centre of a dessert plate, spoon syrup over pear, add a generous dollop of white chocolate cream and a phyllo wafer.