Description
Poires belle Hélène is a classic French dessert featuring tender Bosc pears poached in a fragrant spiced syrup and served with rich, velvety dark chocolate sauce and creamy vanilla ice cream. This elegant yet simple dessert combines the natural sweetness of pears with the indulgence of chocolate and ice cream, making it a perfect treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pear Poaching Syrup
- 3 Bosc pears
- 2 1/2 cups water (600 ml)
- 3/4 cup sugar (150 g)
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 1 star anise
- 1 strip lemon zest
- 1 strip orange zest
Chocolate Sauce
- 3 oz dark chocolate (84 g, around 1/2 cup chips)
- 1/4 cup cream (heavy/double or light/single cream as available)
- 2 tbsp syrup from poached pears
To Serve
- 3 scoops vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Prepare the poaching syrup: In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, split vanilla pod, star anise, lemon zest, and orange zest. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely to infuse the flavors.
- Poach the pears: Peel the Bosc pears, keeping the stems intact if possible. Submerge them in the simmering syrup and poach for about 20–25 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Carefully remove the pears and set aside to cool. Reserve the syrup for the chocolate sauce.
- Make the chocolate sauce: In a small saucepan, gently heat the cream until warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the dark chocolate chips, stirring until the chocolate melts completely into a smooth sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the pear poaching syrup to enhance the flavor and adjust consistency.
- Assemble and serve: Place each poached pear on a dessert plate or bowl. Drizzle generously with the warm chocolate sauce and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of warm pears and chocolate with cold ice cream.
Notes
- Use Bosc pears as they hold their shape well when poached and have a lovely flavor.
- The spices and citrus zest add aromatic complexity but can be adjusted to taste.
- Reserve some poaching syrup to sweeten the chocolate sauce and enrich its flavor.
- This dessert can be prepared ahead by poaching the pears and refrigerating; gently warm chocolate sauce and pears before serving.
- Serving with vanilla ice cream brings a creamy texture and balances the warm chocolate and pears.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute cream and ice cream with plant-based alternatives.
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
