Tea Poached Asian Pears

• sugar↗2 cups
• dry white wine↗2 cups
• fresh ginger, cut in half crosswise1 1⁄2 inches piece
• cinnamon sticks↗2
• allspice berry1 tablespoon
• black tea leaves, loose↗2 tablespoons
• orange zest, about 4 inches long↗4 slices
• large Asian pears, peeled and halved↗4

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In a large oven-safe saucepan, bring sugar and 3 cups water to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add wine, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, tea leaves, and orange zest; bring to a boil again. Add pears, remove from heat, and cover; transfer to oven.

2. 2

   Bake pears 1 1/2 hours, turning every half hour until tender but still crisp.

3. 3

   Remove from oven; let stand until cool enough to handle. Serve warm in cooking liquid.