Poached Pears

Here’s our take on Poached Pears doused with Islands 45% Hot Chocolate & 75% Dark Chocolate Sauce

• INGREDIENTS

  Poached Pears:

  • 4 Williams Pears

  • 750ml Water

  • 200ml Dessert White Wine (or water if you’re alcohol-free!)

  • 250g Caster Sugar

  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks

  • 1 Orange Peel

  • 3 Cloves

  Islands Hot Chocolate Sauce:

  • 3 Tsp boiling water

  • 3 Tsp 45% Islands Hot Chocolate Powder

  • 200ml Double Cream

  • 115g 75% Islands Dark Chocolate Buttons

• METHOD

  For the Poached Pears:

  1. First poach your pears (this could be done well in advance - up to 2 days in advance - and stored in their poaching liquor).  

  2. Prepare your pears by peeling, coring and cutting a flat edge on the bottom of each pear (this will help is stand up nice and proud in your dish).  

  3. Combine all your poaching ingredients together and heat in a pan until the sugar has dissolved.  

  4. Add your pears, for the evenly poached pear, you want to cover the pears with a circle of parchment and a plate to ensure the pears don’t oxidise and stay submerged throughout the cooking process. (You could place a lid on top of your pan but this makes the liquid more prone to boiling over).  Poach on a medium heat for 20-30 minutes and until, when tested, a knife goes into each pear with little resistance. Set aside to cool completely before serving.   

   For the Chocolate Sauce:

  1. Pour your boiling water over the hot chocolate and mix until smooth. 

  2. Add your hot chocolate powder to your double cream and heat in a pan until it begins to boil. Pour this over our chocolate and mix until emulsified.  

  To serve, pour your hot chocolate sauce over your pears and enjoy with a dollop of crème fraiche or cream!