Featured Recipe
Poached Pears Dark Chocolate
By Kate
"
Pears simmered in a sweet lemony broth until tender. Rich dark chocolate sauce made creamy with coconut milk and butter. Pears peeled, cored carefully, keeping stems intact. Syrup infused with vanilla bean. Served with whipped coconut cream. A reimagined classic with subtle tropical hints. No nuts, gluten, or eggs. Simple, elegant dessert for four.
"
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
60 min
Serves:
4 servings
chocolate
pears
dessert
vegan
French cuisine
Introduction
Start with fresh pears. Not too soft, yet ripe. Peel off skin but keep stems intact, a little rustic. Syrup sweetened lightly, zesty with lemon and warm vanilla bean scent drifting. Pears slowly bath in syrup, absorbing notes. Chocolate sauce dark and complex, no sugar overload, tempered with creamy coconut milk and butter for richness. Cold butter folded in, thickening, shining. Serve warm or chilled, sauce poured thickly, cream whipped with coconut milk for a surprise twist. No eggs, nuts, or gluten. Easy, with subtle tropical hints and a classic feel. A little fancy, but mostly simple. Forks ready.
Ingredients
Pears
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) water
- 280 g (1 1/3 cups) sugar
- 20 ml (1 1/3 tbsp) lemon juice
- 1 whole vanilla bean, split
- 4 pears, ripe but firm
- 50 ml (1/5 cup) coconut milk
- 70 ml (1/3 cup) cream 35%
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) maple syrup
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) 65% dark chocolate, chopped
- 20 ml (1 1/3 tbsp) cold butter
- Whipped coconut cream, for serving
Dark Chocolate Sauce
About the ingredients
Pears must be firm enough to hold shape yet ripe for softness after poaching. Use a vanilla bean instead of plain vanilla extract to infuse syrup subtly, adding depth. Substituted some sugar for maple syrup in the chocolate sauce – less sharp, more mellow. Coconut milk replaces some cream for silky texture and a touch of tropical flavor, making sauce less dairy-heavy but still luxurious. Butter adds gloss and body. For whipped cream, coconut cream is a great dairy-free alternative, keeping dessert vegan-friendly if needed. Adjust lemon juice slightly to balance sweetness in syrup. Whole vanilla bean worth the effort for flavor.
Method
Pears Preparation
- 1. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla bean in a saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves and liquid starts simmering gently. Keep just under boil for 3 mins.
- 2. Peel pears carefully, leaving stems on. Using a melon baller, hollow out centers from the base without breaking the pears. Keep pears whole.
- 3. Place pears upright in simmering syrup. Poach on low heat 25 minutes or until pears yield to gentle pressure but are not mushy. Remove from heat. Cool pears in syrup to trap flavors.
- 4. Warm coconut milk, cream, and maple syrup in a small pot until the syrup fully dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat.
- 5. Stir in chopped chocolate until melted and glossy. Add cold butter piecewise, stirring until combined and sauce is shiny.
- 6. Drain pears from syrup, place on plates. Drizzle chocolate sauce generously over pears. Dollop whipped coconut cream or another dairy-free cream alternative alongside if desired.
Chocolate Sauce
Serving
Technique Tips
Start with poaching solution, simmer sugar, lemon, vanilla bean gently. Pearl-like poaching for gentle cooking keeps pears intact. Melon baller or similar tool needed to core pears cleanly, base hollowed but pears remain whole — visual impact counts. Poach slowly, low heat, about 25 mins, watch firmness. Chocolate sauce made by warming liquids, careful not to boil cream-coconut mix. Remove from heat before adding chocolate, melted gradually, then cold butter added to thicken and shine without breaking sauce. Serve pears drained, plated simply, chocolate thickly drizzled, coconut cream on side or piped dollops. Timing matters, syrup cools with pears, flavor seeps. Best eaten same day or chilled overnight for deeper flavor.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start with ripe but firm pears. Avoid soft ones. They'll break apart. Peel carefully, keep stems intact. It looks rustic but elegant. Balance syrup sweetness with lemon juice. Tweak it. Adjust to taste. Sweet, lemony, warm. Simmer gently. Watch for bubbles. Can overcook easily. Use a melon baller or small tool for hollowing. Keep pears steady. This impacts presentation. Simple but key.
- 💡 For the chocolate sauce, heat coconut milk and cream together. Not boiling, just hot. This is crucial. Remove from heat before adding chocolate. Let it melt gradually. Stir until glossy. Butter makes it rich. Reinforce texture. Add in pieces to maintain shine and thickness. Don't rush it. Pour sauce generously over pears for dramatic effect. Less is not more here.
- 💡 Coconut cream whipped can add sweetness. If preferred, lightly sweeten it. A touch of cinnamon can elevate flavor. Just a hint, not overpowering. Prepare pears in advance. Let syrup cool to enhance flavors. Best served fresh but can chill. Let flavors deepen overnight in the fridge. Reinforces taste. Keep serving simple for visual elegance.
- 💡 Timing is everything. Watch poaching closely. Too long and pears lose shape. Stand firm but soft. The syrup cools as they poach, trapping flavors. Best served warm or chilled. Chocolate can be slightly bitter. Maple syrup helps balance this. Adds mellow flavor. Key ingredient to success. Don't skip quality chocolate. The richness matters significantly.
Kitchen Wisdom
How to pick ripe pears?
Look for firmness but not rock hard. Color should be even. Press gently near the stem. If slightly soft, it's ripe. Avoid bruises. They spoil faster. Aim for balance.
Can I use different chocolate?
Yes, but aim for quality. Dark chocolate preferred for depth. Milk chocolate will change taste. Less rich. Consider. Adjust sweetness if changing.
What's the best way to store leftovers?
Store pears in syrup first. Cover well. They last a couple of days. Chocolate sauce separate but can share fridge. Use within a week.
How to make this more festive?
Add spices like cloves or cinnamon to syrup. Infuse deeper flavors. Consider garnishing with mint. Elevate plate visually. Warm serve is more inviting.
