Gluten free pear custard tart + mulled wine poached pears

Ingredients

• 3 cups (710 ml) Bi-Rite Cotes du Rhone or other dry red wine
• 2 cups (475 ml) water
• ¾ cup (150 g) organic granulated cane sugar
• 1 whole vanilla pod
• A few strips orange or tangerine zest
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 whole allspice berries
• 4 medium, firm-ripe pears (such as Bartlett or Bosc), peeled, halved, cored

Instructions

1. Put the wine, water, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in a dutch oven or saute pan with high sides. Bring to a boil. Add the pears and simmer until just tender but still holding a shape, 10-20 minutes (longer if pairs are not very ripe), turning the pears over halfway through. Remove from the heat and let sit until ready to use, or cover and chill for up to several days. The pears will continue to pick up color and flavor from the wine.
2. Remove the pears to a plate and strain the poaching liquid to remove and discard the spices. Simmer the poaching liquid until thick and syrupy, 15-25 minutes. You should have about 1 cup of liquid. When ready to bake, remove the stems and blossoms from the pears and slice lengthwise ¼ - ⅛ – inch thick, keeping the slices together.