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–+ servings
Four poached pears sit on a white plate in a pool of brown sauce, with a small bowl of sauce and additional pears visible in the background.

Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce

Poached pears are an elegant dessert that's so simple to put together.  The peeled pears are poached until tender in a brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon poaching liquid.  The poaching liquid is then simmered until reduced into a syrup. A,classic holiday dessert in under 1 hour.
 
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Estimate Recipe Cost $9.05/ $2.26 per serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 pears
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 915
Ingredients Directions Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 pears peeled and left whole with stem
Chocolate Sauce
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped

Step by Step Directions
 

  1. Add the water, brown sugar, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon to a saucepan, and place over a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, before reducing to a low-medium heat.
  2. Add the pears to the saucepan and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with a small sharp knife, but still hold their shape.
  3. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and set aside. Continue simmering the poaching liquid for 10-15 minutes or until reduced into a syrup.
  4. While the syrup is simmering, make the chocolate sauce by placing the cream in a microwave safe mixing bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds or until hot but not boiling. Stir through the chopped chocolate, and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until the chocolate has melted and sauce is smooth.
  5. Serve the poached pears with the syrup, and drizzle over the chocolate sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pearCalories: 915kcalCarbohydrates: 162gProtein: 5gFat: 30gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 58mgFiber: 10gSugar: 143gCalcium: 170mg

Notes

  • • Ensure the pears are almost covered by the water, keeping in mind the pears will float and it will be impossible to completely submerge the pears. Add more water if necessary until the pears are covered. The amount of water added could also be reduced for smaller pears
  • The amount of time the pears take to poach will depend on the size of the pears. Extend the poaching time for larger pears.
  • The pears could be cored and halved before poaching if preferred. Reduce the poaching time to suit.
  • Reducing the poaching liquid to a syrup is optional, and this step can be omitted if preferred.

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