Pear Helene Food

PEAR HELENE

Steps:

• Halve the pears and remove the cores.
• Place in a saucepan.
• Sprinkle with sugar.
• Cover and heat on medium flame for 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat.
• Cook on low for 5 minutes or until pears are fork tender.
• Keep pears warm.
• In the meantime, heat a small pan over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Break up the chocolate and place in the pan.
• Remove from heat.
• Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add brandy and pour over pears.
• Serve hot with ice cream.

PEARS HELENE

Steps:

• Combine pears and pear syrup with vanilla.
• Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.
• At serving time, disregard syrup. Arrange pears with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in each of 2 stemmed dessert dishes.
• Pour Hot Fudge Sauce over.
• Garnish with toasted almonds.

CARAMEL PEARS BELLE HELENE

Steps:

• 1. Peel the ginger and cut into 1/4-inch-thick disks.
• 2. In a deep saucepan large enough to hold the pear halves in a single layer, combine the ginger, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the syrup until it turns a medium amber brown. Remove the pan from heat and carefully add the remaining 2 1/2 cups water. Stir until the caramel is completely dissolved. Add the vanilla bean to the syrup.
• 3. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Cut the pears in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller to remove the central core. Draw the melon baller from the core to the top of the pear, removing the interior stem, up to the top of the pear. Add the pears to the caramel syrup.
• 4. Simmer and cook the pears, uncovered, until they are tender but not mushy when pierced with a sharp knife, 15 to 20 minutes (the length of poaching time depends on the ripeness of the fruit). Stir in the pear brandy, if using.
• 5. Remove the pan from heat and let the pears cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid. The pears can be served immediately, or covered and refrigerated in the poaching liquid for up to 2 days.
• 6. To serve, drain the pears and place each pear half on a dessert plate. Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside or on top of the poached pear. Drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce. Sprinkle with the pistachios and serve immediately.

POACHED PEARS BELLE HELENE

Steps:

• Place water in a heavy pot. Stir in zest and juice of 1 lemon. Place pears in pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and split pods to the poaching liquid. Pour in sugar.
• Bring pot to a simmer over medium-high heat; stir gently to dissolve sugar with minimal jostling of the pears. Reduce heat so pears continue cooking over a steady, gentle simmer. Pears need to stay submerged, so place a small plate over them in the pot to keep them under the liquid. Simmer until pears are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Remove plate to test the pears for doneness.) Remove pot from heat and let pears cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid.
• Transfer pears and vanilla beans to a storage container and cover with some of the poaching liquid. Cover and refrigerate until pears are thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Reserve all of the poaching liquid (see footnote).
• Heat hot fudge sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Dip base of pear into the chocolate and spoon chocolate along the sides except for the top inch or so of the pear.
• Place dipped pears in individual serving bowls with another generous spoonful of syrup and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

EASY PEARS HELENE/FRENCH POIRES HéLèNE

Steps:

• In the bottom of each of 4 sherbet glasses or bowls, put 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup.
• On top of syrup, place 1 or 2 scoops of ice cream.
• Place pear half, cut side down, on top of each portion of ice cream.
• Combine jam and water in a separate bowl and spoon mixture over each pear.
• Garnish top with crystallized violets or sliced almonds, if desired.