Pear Belle Helene
This classic French recipe features a poached pear served with vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce like a sundae.
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 the chocolate.
- 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 leaf.