"These were so yummy. I made it for Thanksgiving dessert instead of pumpkin pie and I'm glad I did! A few things I noted: the pears took longer than 15-20 minutes to soften if they weren't that ripe. Also, I simmered my poaching liquid after the pears were done for 20 minutes and it did not turn into a syrupy consistency. I poured it on top of the pears anyway before serving. The only complaints I received were from my parents who thought the poached pears were too sweet. Maybe next time I will add only 1 cup of simple syrup or 1 T of honey.