Elegant poached pears

Ingredients

• 2 quarts (64floz/1800ml) water
• 2 1/2 cups (20oz/565g) granulated sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 medium orange sliced
• 6 firm pears peeled and the bottoms cut flat so that they can stand upright

Procedure

1. In a large pot, heat water and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
2. Place the cinnamon sticks, orange, and pears in the water.
3. Cut a circle of parchment paper large enough to fit in the pot on top of the pears. Cut a small circle in the middle for venting and place it on top of the pears in the water.
4. Keep water at a very gentle simmer and cook until the pears can be easily pierced through with a knife, about 20 minutes (more or less, depending on the size, variety, and firmness of the pears). Or 8 minutes on high pressure in the instant pot, with natural pressure release.
5. Let pears cool in their liquid.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, vanilla crème anglaise, salted caramel sauce or however you wish!
7. Store pears in their liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.