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Poached Pears Chocolate Sauce

Poires Belle Helene

Chef François de Mélogue
A classic French dessert composed of pears poached in a vanilla syrup served with vanilla ice cream then drizzled with a hot chocolate sauce.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • 1- quart Water
  • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Vanilla Beans cut in half lengthwise
  • 3 Cardamom Pods crushed (optional)
  • 1 Star Anise optional
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick optional
  • 4 Pears peeled and cored through the bottom with a melon baller
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (35%)
  • 3 ounces Bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice cream

Instructions
 

To Poach the Pears:

  • Bring water, sugar, and vanilla to a rapid boil in a non-reactive pan. Add the optional spices if you are using them. Add the pears to the syrup and cook over medium-low heat until they are easily pierced with a paring knife. Cool and store the pears in the syrup until ready to serve. The cooking time varies wildly on how ripe or unripe your pears are. Mine generally take about 10 to 20 minutes.

To make the Chocolate Sauce:

  • Bring cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Use immediately. If the sauce is too thick add a touch more cream.

To serve Pears Belle Helene:

  • Put a poached pear on a plate along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pour the hot chocolate sauce over the pears at the table. Enjoy.

Notes

Save the leftover syrup to poach more pears; to make cocktails; to make a sorbet.
Keyword Chocolate, Ice Cream, Pears
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