Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese*
• 4 large firm but ripe peaches, halved, pitted
• 1 tablespoon safflower oil or vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups Vin Santo
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
• Anise Biscottiepi:recipelink</epi:recipelink>

Instructions

1. Place sugar in small bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; stir to blend. (Reserve bean for another use.) Place mascarpone cheese in another small bowl; stir in 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar.
2. Do Ahead: Vanilla sugar and mascarpone mixture can be made ahead. Store vanilla sugar airtight at room temperature up to 1 month. Cover and refrigerate mascarpone mixture up to 2 days.
3. Prepare barbecue (medium heat) and preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly brush cut sides of peach halves with oil. Grill peach halves, cut side down, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Place peach halves, cut side up, in 13x9-inch glass baking dish.
4. Bring Vin Santo to boil in small saucepan. Spoon 1/2 cup Vin Santo over peaches, then sprinkle with 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar. Bake peaches until tender, about 15 minutes. Boil remaining 3/4 cup Vin Santo in pan until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 4 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted.
5. Transfer 1 peach half to each of 4 plates. Spoon dollop of mascarpone mixture alongside. Drizzle reduced Vin Santo over and serve warm or at room temperature with Anise Biscottiepi:recipelink.</epi:recipelink>
6. *Italian cream cheese; available at many supermarkets and Italian markets.