Chocolate Pears

Chocolate pears are an elegant and delicious dessert! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 mature but still firm pears
• 150 g of sugar
• 500 ml of water
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 200 g of dark chocolate
• 100 ml of liquid cream

Preparation

1. Peel the pears leaving the stalk attached. If you prefer, you can cut the base of the pears so they can stand upright.
2. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon zest to create a syrup.
3. Immerse the pears in the syrup, lower the heat, and let them cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pears are tender but not mushy. Turn them occasionally for even cooking.
4. Once cooked, remove the pears with a slotted spoon and let them cool.
5. Meanwhile, break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a double boiler or in the microwave, then add the cream and stir until you obtain a smooth sauce.
6. Serve the pears drizzled with the chocolate sauce.

Curiosity

Chocolate pears are a classic French dessert known as “Poires Belle Hélène,” created by the famous chef Auguste Escoffier. This refined preparation was inspired by the opera “La belle Hélène” by composer Offenbach.

For an Italian twist, you could add a splash of liqueur, such as Vin Santo or Brandy, to the syrup in which the pears are cooked. Moreover, accompanying the dessert with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder or crushed cookies can add a pleasant variety of textures.