Instructions

1. In a 4-quart sauce pot, combine wine, sugar, Mulling Spice and orange wheels. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. While liquid is simmering, peel pears, leaving stem intact and being careful not to blemish the flesh of the pears. Add pears to poaching liquid, cover, and simmer on low for 25 minutes, then turn and poach for another 20 minutes to ensure even color, until pears are cooked but still firm. Remove saucepan from flame, uncover and cool with pears upright in pan. Once cool, cover and chill in refrigerator at least 24 hours, turning occasionally, for even distribution of color. Remove pears from liquid and bring them up to room temperature. Using a colander strain out the spices from poaching liquid and reduce liquid by half over a medium-high heat for 12 minutes, until liquid is thick and syrupy. Remove poaching liquid from heat and let liquid come to room temperature. Drizzle poaching liquid over pears and enjoy with your favorite brie or over vanilla bean ice-cream. Shingle these pears for a new take on an upside down cake.