In another bowl, add the mascarpone cheese and milk and stir until the cheese is smooth. Add additional milk if needed. The cheese should be the consistency of creamy frosting. Drain the apricots and figs and add to the cheese. Add the toasted almonds and stir to combine. Keep the fruited mascarpone covered and refrigerated until ready to use. Note: serve the fruited mascarpone at room temperature.

Peel the pears, leaving the stem on. Cut a slice off the bottom of the pears. Using a melon ball cutter, from the bottom of the pear cut up and into the pear cutting out the core.

In a deep stockpot, add the wine, water and sugar. Heat the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the wine mixture. Add the vanilla bean, then add the cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Cook the wine mixture until it is reduced by half and starts to thicken, about 40 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean.

Add the pears to the wine mixture and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Poach until they are very tender, about 45 minutes. Note: if not using the pears immediately, place them in a container, pour in the poaching liquid, cover and refrigerate. When ready for service, reheat the pears in the poaching liquid.

To serve, cut one pear in half and place, flat side down, on a serving plate. Pour some of the warm poaching liquid over the pear. Place 2 Amaretto cookies flat on the plate and spoon some of the Fruited Mascarpone on top of the cookies.