Homemade Pear Preserves

Makes about 2 ½ – 3 cups

3 pounds firm-ripe pears, peeled and cored
2 ¾ cups sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Cut pears into ½-¾-inch pieces and put them in a large saucepan. Stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let stand for at least 1 hour to draw out the pears’ juice.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then simmer slowly until the pears are translucent and the syrup is reduced and light golden – about 45 minutes. It should read about 215°F (102°C) on a candy thermometer.

Let cool completely. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to about (give or take) 1 month.

Modified from Southern Italian Desserts: Rediscovering the Sweet Traditions of Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, and Sicily by Rosetta Costantino