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1
Choose a casserole or baking dish with just enough room to lay the pears head to tail in a single layer.
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2
Peel the pears thinly, leaving the stalks on, and then immediately roll each one in a saucer containing the juice of the lemon.
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3
Put the pears into the dish.
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4
Spoon on a scant 4 tablespoons of maple syrup and add any lemon juice remaining in the saucer.
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5
Bring the grape juice to simmering point and pour it over the pears.
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6
Cover the dish and bake at 350F until the fruit is beautifully tender.
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7
How long this will take varies enormously- 1 hour is enough for semi-ripe dessert pears; 3 hours or more may be needed for pears that are so hard that they seem to be carved from wood.
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8
Baste the pears frequently as they bake and turn them occasionally to encourage even cooking.
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9
When the pears are ready, transfer them to a serving dish, standing them upright.
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10
Boil the cooking liquid until it turns syrupy and is reduced by about half.
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11
Stir in an extra tablespoon or two of maple if you think a little more sweetness is desirable but avoid the temptation to make the juices too sweet; the appeal of the dish lies in its fruitiness.
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12
Spoon the syrupy glaze over the pears.
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13
Serve warm or cold.
