Peel the four pears, leaving the stalk intact.
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan with 1 litre of water, bring to a simmer.
Next, we want to stop the pears from drying out where they sit above the liquid, but we also want the liquid to reduce as the pears poach. If you have a lid which has a small hole to allow steam to escape place it on top, otherwise you can use a standard lid, it just means that when you come to reducing down the liquid after poaching it will take a little longer.
Alternatively, you can make a cartouche using parchment paper. A cartouche is different from a standard lid because it allows steam to escape. It sounds fancy, but it’s really easy to make.
Cut out a round of parchment paper that will fit inside the saucepan. Cut a smaller round in the centre to allow for evaporation. Place on top of the pears.
Poaching: Gently poach the pears for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight if possible to allow the pears to absorb and infuse all the flavours of the syrup.
Before serving, remove the pears and set aside to bring to room temperature.
These pears are great served with the liquid and the best way is to reduce the liquid until it becomes a thick syrup.
Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and strain out the spices, then cook the liquid over medium-high heat until it’s reduced by about half, about 300ml.
Serving: Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of glaze over the pears, then serve with fresh cream, ice cream or chocolate sauce.
Any leftover poaching liquid or syrup can be used to drizzle over yoghurt, oatmeal, or pancakes or used to moisten cake layers during assembly and frosting.