Wine-Poached Pear Croustades with Ice Cream

• 4 1/2 cups dry red wine (about 1 1/2 750-ml bottles)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 18 whole black peppercorns
• 2 6x1-inch strips orange peel (orange part only)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 firm but ripe Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
• 6 1/2-inch-thick pound cake slices, lightly toasted
• Vanilla ice cream

1. Stir wine, sugar, peppercorns, orange peel and bay leaf in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Increase heat to high; cover and boil 5 minutes.
3. Add pears.
4. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until pears are tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.
5. Cool to room temperature.
6. Chill until cold, about 6 hours.
7. (Can be made 1 day ahead.
8. Cover and keep chilled.)
9. Remove pears from liquid.
10. Strain liquid into heavy small saucepan.
11. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes.
12. Whisk cornstarch and orange juice in small bowl to blend.
13. Add to saucepan and whisk until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute.
14. Remove sauce from heat and cool slightly.
15. Cut pound cake slices diagonally in half.
16. Thinly slice pears lengthwise.
17. Arrange 2 pound cake triangles and 1 sliced pear half on each of 6 plates.
18. Top each with ice cream; drizzle with sauce.

red wine, sugar, black peppercorns, orange, bay leaf, bartlett, cornstarch, orange juice, cake, vanilla ice cream

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/wine-poached-pear-croustades-with-ice-cream-902 (may not work)