Description
Poires belle Hélène is a classic French dessert featuring tender Bosc pears poached in a fragrant spiced syrup, served with rich homemade dark chocolate sauce and creamy vanilla ice cream. This elegant yet simple recipe combines fruity sweetness with indulgent chocolate and creamy textures for a delightful treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Poached Pears
- 3 Bosc pears
- 2 1/2 cups water (600ml)
- 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 1 star anise
- 1 strip lemon zest
- 1 strip orange zest
Chocolate Sauce
- 3 oz dark chocolate (84g, about 1/2 cup chips)
- 1/4 cup cream (heavy/double or light/single cream)
- 2 tbsp syrup from poaching liquid
Serving
- 3 scoops vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Prepare the poaching syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, split vanilla pod, star anise, lemon zest, and orange zest. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Poach the pears: Peel the Bosc pears, keeping them whole and preserving their stems if possible. Submerge the pears in the simmering syrup, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for about 20-25 minutes until the pears are tender when pricked with a fork.
- Cool the pears: Remove the pears carefully from the syrup and set aside to cool. Continue simmering the syrup to reduce it slightly if desired, then strain to remove the vanilla pod, star anise, and zest strips. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this syrup for the chocolate sauce.
- Make the chocolate sauce: Chop the dark chocolate finely if not using chips. Heat the cream in a small saucepan just until warm, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Stir gently until smooth and glossy. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of reserved poaching syrup to add extra flavor and sweetness.
- Assemble and serve: Place each pear on a serving plate, drizzle generously with the warm chocolate sauce, and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- This elegant dessert looks fancy but is surprisingly simple to prepare, with minimal ingredients and straightforward steps.
- You can use either heavy/double cream or lighter single cream based on your preference for richness.
- Bosc pears are recommended for their firmness and ability to hold shape when poached; however, other firm pear varieties can work.
- The leftover poaching syrup makes a deliciously flavored addition to the chocolate sauce, enhancing the dessert’s depth.
- Serve immediately after assembly to enjoy the contrast of warm chocolate sauce and cold ice cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 703 kcal
- Sugar: 98 g
- Sodium: 84 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 116 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
