White Chocolate Tiramisu Trifle with Spiced Pears

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1/3 cup poire Williams (clear pear brandy)
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
• 5 large firm but ripe Anjou pears (3 to 31/4 pounds), peeled
• 1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger
• 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
• White chocolate curls
• 12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
• 1 8- to 8.8-ounce container mascarpone cheese*
• 4 1-inch-diameter rounds peeled fresh ginger (each about 1/8 inch thick)
• 2 cups pear juice or pear nectar
• 3 3-ounce packages soft ladyfingers,** separated