Pears Belle Helene
This classic French recipe features a poached pear served with vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce like a sundae.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
TO POACH THE PEARS:
- 1 liter water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 4 Anjou pears, peeled
CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
- 4 ounces dark sweet chocolate
- 0.5 cup whipping cream
GARNISH:
- 1.5 cups French vanilla ice cream
- 0.25 cup sliced almonds or hazelnut, to decorate
- Fresh mint leaves, to decorate
Instructions
- Combine water, sugar and vanilla bean in a large saucepan. Bring to boil for 2 minutes.
- Peel the pears but leave the stems attached. Remove the seeds with a melon baller from the bottom. Add pears, reduce heat and cook gently until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Refrigerate pears in syrup for 24 hours.
- Remove vanilla bean from syrup. Boil cream and add thechocolate. Stir continuously until smooth. Remove from heat.
- To serve, place a scoop of ice cream in a bowl. Place a pear alongside the ice cream and spoon chocolate sauce over top. Garnish with sliced almonds or hazelnut and a mint leave.
