Ginger Pears - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 lemons, rind of, finely grated
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 -3 tablespoons finely diced candied ginger, finely diced
6 medium pears, firm
1/3 cup orange marmalade
2 2 tablespoons rum or 2 tablespoons Bourbon

Preparation

Use a saucepan that has a cover and is large enough to hold the pears upright in a single layer.
Place the water, sugar, rind, and juice in the saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil; stir in the ginger and set aside.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the pears; if necessary, trim the bottoms a bit so they will stand upright.
Place the pears in the syrup, cover, and cook over medium heat; baste the pears frequently (a ladle is handy for this since the ginger might get stuck in a bulb baster).
Do not over cook; test with a cake tester or toothpick; when they pierce easily they are done; start testing after 20 minutes.
When the pears are just tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a shallow bowl.
Add the marmalade to the syrup and let boil for 5 minutes.
Then add in the cognac, and pour the hot sauce over the pears.
With a ladle or large spoon baste occasionally until cool; cover and refrigerate.
Serve each pear standing upright in a compote or dessert bowl, with several spoonfuls of the syrup.