Pears with chocolate sauce

Pears with chocolate sauce

A good recipe for chocolate sauce is invaluable. Put everything out on the table and let everyone help themselves

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 50 mins

Method

  1. Peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact, then take the core out from the bottom of each by using a small sharp knife or a melon baller. Flatten the bottom by slicing off a little bit so that it will sit upright when served. Put the pears into a saucepan with the zests, vanilla pod, sugar, cinnamon, white wine and 600ml water, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and poach for about 20-25 mins until they are cooked all the way through, but are not so soft that they will fall apart. Leave to cool in the liquid. Can be made and chilled a day ahead.
  2. When cool, take the pears out, strain out the cinnamon, zest and vanilla pod (keep the pod, allow it to dry, then pop it into a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar), then pour the syrup back in the pan. Boil until reduced by half to a thin syrup.
  3. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Warm the cream, milk and butter in a heavy based pan. Stir this into the melted chocolate, set aside and keep warm. Can be made and chilled a day ahead. If the sauce cools and thickens too much, warm it again gently over a pan of simmering water or for 30 secs in a microwave. Serve the pears with plenty of syrup, chocolate sauce and good-quality vanilla ice cream.

602 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 70g, fat 34 g, saturated fat 19g, fibre 3g, sugar 69g, salt 0.12 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Claire

    17 May 2010

    Claire commented on this recipe

    I did change the wine for perry (pear cider) as I think it gives a much richer taste which suits the chocolate. The chocolate sauce is divine. Best of all is just how simple it is to make, yet it looks fantastic. Everyone loved it. Kind regards Claire

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  • Binder photo xtxgx

    20 January 2011

    xtxgx rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Mimi

    31 December 2011

    Mimi rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    I have just made this recipe with the perry, as suggested, and the pears & syrup taste lovely. However, I am disappointed with the sauce! Having checked; re-checked and asked someone else to check, my sauce does not resemble that lovely dark drizzle in the picture. I used high (90%) cocoa chocolate. The result is a very pale milk chocolate colour, which I suppose one should expect with so much cream and milk. It just does not have the visual impact. I've only dressed two pears, so will try something different.

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  • Binder photo Jennifer

    04 January 2012

    Jennifer rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made this recipe twice during the festive season and it was very much enjoyed. I used a sauvignon blanc wine each time and the sauce was delicious. The first time I made the recipe I used dark chocolate 70% and thought the chocolate sauce was too unsweet for all tastes so amended the chocolate the next time to 2 parts plain to 1 part milk chocolate both 70 % and the chocolate sauce was commended by guests. The chocolate sauce was a nice dark colour so I do not know why Mimi's sauce was a pale colour. If I make the recipe again I shall cut down the quantity of chocolate sauce as each time I had too much. For anyone interested in poached pears recipes there is another very good recipe on this site- poached pears in spiced red wine - which I can also recommend having made it a few times last year.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 50 mins

Ingredients

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

  • 300g plain chocolate , chopped
  • 300ml double cream
  • 150ml milk
  • 25g butter
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602 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 70g, fat 34 g, saturated fat 19g, fibre 3g, sugar 69g, salt 0.12 g

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