CIDER BRAISED APPLES

4 Apples (A sweet, juicy red apple with a nice balance of tartness such as Elstar or Jonagold are best suited for this dessert)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
Large strips of orange zest
juice of half a lemon
8 black peppercorns

In a covered saucepan large enough to hold the apples in a single layer, place the cider, water, sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest, lemon juice and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Core the apples from the bottom trying to keep the shape of the apple intact. Leave the skin on.
Gently add the apples to the poaching liquid. If necessary, add some extra liquid, cider or water to completely cover the fruits. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer poked into an apple center meets little resistance. Allow to cool down completely in the liquid, preferably over night.
Using the slotted spoon, remove the apples from their liquid and stand upright in a serving dish deep enough for the reduced liquid to be poured over. Remove zest and cinnamon stick and continue simmering to reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or (John and I prefer it this way)room temperature.