Poire Belle Helene

 

This is a Tyler Florence recipe for vanilla poached pears with chocolate sauce and ice cream.  It's fruit, and look... I only had 2 tiny scoops of ice cream with it.  Recipe follows.

Vanilla Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream (a.k.a. "Poire Belle Helene")

Vanilla Poached Pears

Recipe

• 6 C Water
• 3 C Sugar
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1 Vanilla Bean
• 6 Firm Bosc Pears

Directions

1. Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan.  
2. Split vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add both the seeds and the pod to the pan.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
4. Peel the pears.  Reduce the poaching liquid to a simmer and add the pears.
5. Cook until just tender (the tip of a paring knife will go through the flesh of a pear with just a little resistance), about 15 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the pears in the poaching liquid, until completely cooled, about an hour.
7. Serve the pears with a scoop of ice cream, a little pear-poaching syrup and warm chocolate sauce (recipe below) drizzled over the top.

Chocolate Sauce
Recipe

• 1 1/2 C Heavy Cream
• 12 Oz Bittersweet Chocolate, Roughly Chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
• 1 Quart Store-Bought Vanilla-Bean Ice Cream

Directions

1. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat.
2. Put the chocolate and butter into a medium-size bowl.
3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy.