Poached Pears with Chocolate Drizzle
Submitted by spacy
Poached pears with chocolate drizzle: Bosc pear wedges simmered in white wine and apple juice with warm spices, then crowned with melted dark chocolate. An elegant light dessert.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minPoached pears with chocolate drizzle is the kind of restaurant dessert that takes less than 30 minutes at home and looks like it took hours. Wedges of firm Bosc pear simmer in a fragrant bath of white wine, apple juice, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, then settle under a zig-zag of melted semisweet chocolate.
Bosc pears are the right choice. They’re firm enough to hold their shape through poaching, and their dense flesh stays slightly toothsome rather than turning mushy. Bartlett or Anjou pears work, but they break down faster, so adjust cooking time downward.
The cornstarch thickener turns the poaching liquid into a light syrup that clings to the pear wedges. Without it the liquid stays watery, and the spices don’t quite settle onto the fruit the way they should.
Melting the chocolate just before serving is intentional. Hot chocolate drizzled over warm pears creates the most dramatic visual and the silkiest texture. Reheated chocolate sets up too fast and loses the smooth drizzle.
Pro Tips
- Use firm, almost underripe pears. Overripe pears collapse in the poach.
- Keep the simmer low and gentle. A hard boil breaks the pear wedges apart and clouds the syrup.
- Add a teaspoon of water to the chocolate chips when melting in the double boiler. This keeps the chocolate from seizing.
- Garnish with a sprig of mint or a few fresh raspberries for extra plate appeal.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Core pears and cut each pear into 8 sections lengthwise.
Combine wine, juice, vanilla and spices in a saucepan.
Put in the pears and bring to a simmer.
Cover and simmer over low heat until the pears are just fork- tender.
Combine cornstarch with enough water to dissolve it.
Stir into the saucepan liquid until thickened.
Remove from heat. and cool until just warm.
Just before serving, combine chocolate chips and water in the top of a double boiler.
Heat until the chocolate is smoothly melted. Arrange pear slices in two dessert bowls.
Divide the chocolate between them and drizzle over the pears in a zig-zag pattern.
Serve at once.
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