Winter Poached Pears

 

4

firm ripe pears

2

cups water

3

tea bags red zesty herbal tea flavored with hibiscus, rosehips and lemongrass

2

cups cranberry-raspberry juice

2

tablespoons red cinnamon candies

• 1 Peel pears, leaving stems intact; set aside. Heat water to boiling in 3-quart saucepan; remove from heat. Add tea bags; let steep 10 minutes. Squeeze tea from tea bags; discard bags. Stir juice and candies into tea. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until candies are melted.
• 2 Arrange pears upright and close together in saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, spooning sauce over pears occasionally, until pears are tender when pierced with tip of sharp knife.
• 3 Remove pears from syrup. Cook syrup over medium-high heat about 25 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Serve sauce over pears.