Pears Baked Honey

6 firm pears
6 cloves
8 cardamom seeds, cracked
2 cinnamon sticks

For the honey syrup:
2 tbsp caster sugar
4-6 tbsp clear honey
300-450ml / 1/2 - 3/4 pint boiling water

Preheat the oven to 200ºC / fan oven 180ºC / gas mark 6. Peel the pears, leaving the stalks in place and remove the cores. Stick a clove in each pear and lay them on their sides in an oven proof dish. Scatter the cardamom seeds and cinnamon sticks on top of the pears.

To make the honey syrup, dissolve the sugar and honey in the boiling water and pour over the pears. The pears should be half covered in liquid. Bake for about 1 hour or until tender, basting them occasionally. Serve hot or let the pears cool in the honey syrup.