The Best Guide for the CR0 Area

Poached pears with chocolate sauce

I love the texture of poached pears and this early in the season they can be a little under ripe and lend themselves to poaching so well. The chocolate sauce compliments the subtle flavour of the pear and the contrast between hot fruit and cold ice cream is amazing.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
4 Firm fleshed Pears, peeled and cored
500ml water
250g Caster sugar
1 Vanilla pod, split in half
½ Cinnamon stick
For the sauce
200g Good quality dark Chocolate
200g Double cream
1 tbsp Rum
Method
1. In a large saucepan dissolve the sugar into the water and add the cinnamon and vanilla pod.
2. Gently place the pears into the poaching liquor and barely simmer for 25 minutes until the pears are tender.
3. In a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water melt together the chocolate and double cream stirring occasionally. The aim is to heat the chocolate slowly to prevent it splitting and becoming grainy, so ensure that the water level in the sauce pan doesn't touch the bottom of the glass bowl. When a thick sauce is formed add the rum.
4. Serve a pear per person with ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.