Chocolate Pears In Caramel Sauce Food

PEARS IN CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Leave stems on peeled pears. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
• In a saucepan large enough to accommodate 4 pears standing upright, combine water and sugar. Place over medium heat, and boil until sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla, then place the pears in. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool in liquid, then drain.
• In the top of a double boiler, combine chocolate, cream and butter. Heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in coffee liqueur.
• Place pears on serving dish, pour chocolate sauce over pears, and garnish with maraschino cherries.

PRETZEL-CRUSTED FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH SAUTEED SPICED PEARS AND SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pretzel crust: In a food processor, pulse the pretzels, sugar and butter together until nearly as fine as graham cracker crumbs.
• Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment and press the pretzel crumbs into the base.
• Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• Once cooled, scatter the caramel pieces over the top and set aside
• For the flourless chocolate cake: Adjust the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over medium heat.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until they reach medium peaks.
• Add the sugar and whip to stiff peaks. Add the egg yolks and whip for two minutes.
• Fold in the chocolate mixture in three stages, being careful not to deflate the batter.
• Pour the batter into the pretzel crust, and bake for 15 minutes. When done, the center should feel slightly bouncy, but an inserted cake tester should come out like a moist brownie batter.
• Allow the cake to cool overnight before unmolding.
• For the spice blend: In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger and star anise until well blended. Set aside.
• For the sauteed pears: In a saute pan over medium heat, saute the pears until slightly translucent.
• Add the sugar and 1/2 tablespoon of the spice blend, and cook until the pears are tender and their juices slightly thickened. Allow to cool before use.
• For the salted caramel sauce: In a large pot, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook until the mixture acquires a nice amber color, indicating it has reached the caramel stage (325 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat.
• Gently heat the cream in the microwave, then add it slowly to the caramel (be very careful¿the mixture will bubble up!).
• Once all cream is added, stir in the butter. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Let cool.
• To finish: Top the cake with sauteed pears and pour caramel over. Chill until the caramel sets.
• Serve with brandy-flavored sweetened whipped cream.

BAKED PEARS ON SUGARED PUFF PASTRY WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make pastry bases:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. and lightly butter a heavy baking sheet.
• Sprinkle a work surface with granulated sugar and roll out puff pastry about 1/8 inch thick, turning once to coat both sides with sugar. Cut out 4 rectangles, each about 4 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, and transfer to baking sheet, reserving scraps for another use. Prick pastry all over with a fork and put baking sheet in freezer until pastry is chilled well, about 15 minutes.
• Lightly butter bottom of another heavy baking sheet and put directly on top of pastry rectangles to weight them while baking. Bake pastry (between 2 baking sheets) in middle of oven 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown, and transfer to a rack to cool. Pastry bases may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• Make pears and sauce:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. (if pastry bases have been made ahead) and lightly butter a small baking dish just large enough to hold 4 pear halves in one layer.
• Peel, halve, and core pears. Arrange pear halves in baking dish, cut sides up. Divide butter among pear cavities and sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar over pears. Sprinkle lemon juice over pears and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven and turn pears so that cut sides are down. Baste pears with cooking juices and return to oven. Bake pears until tender, about 15 minutes more. Transfer pears to a plate and keep warm.
• Transfer cooking juices to a small heavy saucepan. Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and boil, swirling pan, until mixture turns a deep golden caramel. Slowly add cream (caramel will bubble up) and simmer sauce, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir poire William into caramel sauce.
• Sprinkle each pastry base with confectioners' sugar and top with a pear half. Serve baked pears with caramel sauce.

VANILLA POACHED PEARS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE AND ICE CREAM (A.K.A. "POIRE BELLE HELENE")

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Split vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add both the seeds and the pod to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Peel the pears. Reduce the poaching liquid to a simmer and add the pears. Cook until just tender (the tip of a paring knife will go through the flesh of a pear with just a little resistance), about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the pears in the poaching liquid, until completely cooled, about 45 minutes.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Put the chocolate and butter into a medium-size bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy.
• Serve the pears with a scoop of ice cream, a little pear-poaching syrup and warm chocolate sauce drizzled over the top. Garnish with a wafer cookie and serve.

PEARS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact, then take the core out from the bottom of each by using a small sharp knife or a melon baller. Flatten the bottom by slicing off a little bit so that it will sit upright when served. Put the pears into a saucepan with the zests, vanilla pod, sugar, cinnamon, white wine and 600ml water, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and poach for about 20-25 mins until they are cooked all the way through, but are not so soft that they will fall apart. Leave to cool in the liquid. Can be made and chilled a day ahead.
• When cool, take the pears out, strain out the cinnamon, zest and vanilla pod (keep the pod, allow it to dry, then pop it into a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar), then pour the syrup back in the pan. Boil until reduced by half to a thin syrup.
• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Warm the cream, milk and butter in a heavy based pan. Stir this into the melted chocolate, set aside and keep warm. Can be made and chilled a day ahead. If the sauce cools and thickens too much, warm it again gently over a pan of simmering water or for 30 secs in a microwave. Serve the pears with plenty of syrup, chocolate sauce and good-quality vanilla ice cream.

SPICED POACHED PEARS IN CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a pan big enough to hold the pears snugly, tip in all the ingredients except the pears. Half fill the pan with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins to infuse, drop in pears, cover and gently poach for about 30 mins until soft. Turn off the heat and set aside. The pears can be poached up to 2 days ahead and kept in the poaching syrup in the fridge.
• To make the chocolate sauce, tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream, milk and cinnamon to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. To serve, drain the pears and, holding them by the stem, dip them in the chocolate sauce to completely cover. Serve each pear with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

JACQUES PEPIN'S BRAISED PEARS IN CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise. Remove cores. Place pear halves flat side down in single layer in 1 or 2 large baking or gratin dishes. Sprinkle sugar over pears and dot with butter.
• Place in oven and bake 35 minutes. By this time sugar should have caramelized and pears should be tender when pierced with point of knife. If pears are not tender continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes. Pour cream over pears and return to oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, basting every 5 minutes with cream.
• Cream should have reduced and thickened and turned nice ivory color. If sauce seems to be separating, add a tablespoon or two of hot water.
• Remove pears from oven, allow to cool slightly. Serve directly from baking dish.

ROASTED PEARS WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place butter in a baking pan large enough to hold the pears in a single layer.
• Set baking pan with butter in the heating oven until the butter melts.
• Sprinkle sugar over melted butter.
• Place pears, cut side down, on top.
• Bake until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Turn over pears and baste with pan sauce.
• Return to oven.
• Bake until golden and glossy, about 10 minutes.
• Let cool slightly.
• Transfer pears to dessert plates or bowls.
• Top each with a dollop of sour cream, drizzle with caramel pan sauce, sprinkle with nuts.
• Serve and enjoy!

POACHED PEARS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel pears. Cut 1/4 in. from bottom to level if necessary. Place in a large saucepan; add the water, vanilla, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until pears are almost tender., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and cinnamon. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Cool. , Drain pears; place on dessert plates. Drizzle with chocolate sauce.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
• Cook over low heat until chocolate and caramels are melted and mixture is smooth.