Fall in love with this classic French dessert. In a large pot, combine sugar with 8 cups of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, star anise, cloves and cardamom. Stir until sugar and spices are dissolved. Add the pears to the liquid and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer the pears for about 20-25 mins, until tender. Remove the pot from heat and let the pears cool in their liquid at room temperature. When the dish is ready to serve, use a slotted spoon to transfer pears to serving platter. Top it up with a dollop of crème fraîche, Parle-G biscuit crumbs and a light dusting of cinnamon.