Ingredients

• 4 juice oranges
• 1 lemon, halved
• 8 cups water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 firm-ripe Anjou pears
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 whole clove
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 3 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds or hazelnuts

Instructions

1. Remove zest of oranges in strips with a vegetable peeler and cut away any white pith from strips. Squeeze juice from oranges and lemon into a 6-quart pot and add lemon halves, water, granulated sugar, and zest. Peel pears, leaving stems attached, and add to pot.
2. Simmer pears 15 to 25 minutes, or until just tender, and cool in liquid. (Poached pears will continue to cook a bit as they cool.)
3. Make caramel: Put granulated sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and crumble brown sugar over. Melt sugars, undisturbed, over moderate heat until granulated sugar is mostly melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Carefully pour in cream (mixture will bubble up and caramel will harden slightly) and stir in clove, cardamom pods, fennel, peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks. Simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1‚ cups, about 10 minutes. Pour sauce through a sieve into a 2-cup measure and cool to just warm.
4. Put granulated sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and crumble brown sugar over. Melt sugars, undisturbed, over moderate heat until granulated sugar is mostly melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Carefully pour in cream (mixture will bubble up and caramel will harden slightly) and stir in clove, cardamom pods, fennel, peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks. Simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1‚ cups, about 10 minutes. Pour sauce through a sieve into a 2-cup measure and cool to just warm.
5. Assemble dessert: Drain pears and pat dry, then transfer to plates. Serve drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with chopped nuts.
6. Drain pears and pat dry, then transfer to plates. Serve drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with chopped nuts.