Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Cut the pears in half and remove the cores. Place into a baking dish in one layer, cut side up.
Combine the honey, hot water and lemon juice and pour over the pears.
Split the vanilla bean and run a knife down to remove seeds. Combine the vanilla bean seeds with the sugar. Sprinkle over the pears. Add a dob of butter into each cavity and sprinkle with thyme.
Cook for 40 minutes, basting in the juices every now and then, or until the pears can be pierced easily with a knife.
