This is a delicious, old fashion treat.  Use it as a jam, serve it with a scoop of ice cream for a dessert, put a spoon full on top of a slice of pound cake or put a spoon full on top of a grilled pork chop.  This recipe will make any amount you happen to have the pears to make.  Because it is cooked down to be very thick, there is not a large yield of the finished product verses the number of pears you begin with.  Also, I advise you use it fresh or freeze it.  Because of the risk of Botchelisum  I do not advise canning for the novice.  If you have canned before and are comfortable doing so, then fine.  This product does, however,  freeze well. 

You may use a crock pot to make this.  You may also substitute Splenda for sugar.  If sugar is a concern for you, I suggest that you give it a try with no sugar or sweetener at all.  Cooking the ripe fruit down this much concentrates its natural sugars and I find I seldom needto use any sweeter.  Give Ma nature a chance.

Pears

Fresh ginger root to taste

Sweetener of choice to taste if needed

Cut the pears into quarters and remove the core.   Cut the quarters into small chunks.  Put the cut pears into a large pot with a tight fitting lid, cover and put on the stove with a medium heat.  No, you don’t have to add any liquid.  If you do, you will just have to cook it back out to make your product thick.  After about half an hour, remove the lid and stir.  You will find that the fruit has produced quite a bit of liquid on its own.  Continue cooking over medium heat until the fruit is quite soft. 

At this point, using a hand masher or an immersible blender, turn the cooked fruit into a purée.  Add grated fresh ginger root to taste.  Stir well and continue to cook until quite thick.  The thickness will be up to your taste.  The longer you cook it, the darker it becomes and the richer the flavor.  Taste it.  I doubt that you will need to further sweeten it.  If you do wish it sweeter, add sugar, honey or Splenda to taste.

You may do this all in a slow cooker or in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid in the oven as well.