Spiced Pickled Pears

• 675 g white sugar
• 600 ml red wine vinegar
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken
• 1/2 lemon, sliced
• 20 cloves
• 12 allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn
• 1 mace blade
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 kg small & firm pear, peeled

1. Place all the ingredients, except pears, in a large, heavy-based pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil.
2. Put pears in an earthenware bowl and pour boiled liquid over. Cover and leave over-night.
3. Strain off the liquid and boil for 10 - 15 minutes, to reduce the volume to about 425 ml.
4. Pour back over fruit and set aside for 12 hours.
5. Bring fruit and liquid to boil and cook for one minute.
6. Remove pears with a slotted spoon and pack into clean, hot and dry preserving jars.
7. Bring syrup back to boil and pour over pears.
8. Seal jars immediately and allow to cool.

white sugar, red wine vinegar, cinnamon sticks, lemon, cloves, berries, peppercorn, mace blade, bay leaves, firm pear

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/spiced-pickled-pears-289239 (may not work)