Instructions: In a heavy saucepan, combine wine, sugar, water, dried fruit, and orange peel. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until fruit is plumped and tender. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon and set aside. Peel pears, leaving stems intact. using a melon baller, core pears from bottom. Carefully lower pears into liquid and poach gently for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until richly colored and tender. Remove pears with a slotted spoon, and set aside to cool. Increase heat to high and boil syrup for about 5 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool. (You will serve syrup with finished pears.) Preheat oven to 300 F. Chop dried fruits and orange peel.

Fill pears cavities with fruit and set pears upright in a large baking dish.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites and slat on high speed until stiff. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat for 30 seconds. With mixer running, slowly add remaining sugar. Cover each pear with meringue, pulling up the meringue into rough peaks with a knife or spatula. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately, passing syrup separately.

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