Pear Strudel With Chocolate Sauce Food

PEAR, CHOCOLATE & MARZIPAN STRUDEL

Steps:

• Melt a knob of butter in a large frying pan, add the pears and 1 tbsp sugar, and cook for 5 mins. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Then add the Disaronno (if using), biscuits, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, and 2 tbsp sugar and mix well.
• Line a tray with baking parchment. Lay a sheet of filo on it, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. Top with a second sheet of filo and keep going until you've used all the pastry. Pile the filling down one of the long sides of the pastry, then roll it up to form a sausage. Make sure it is seam-side down, then tuck the ends under tightly. Roll up in the parchment, wrap tightly in foil and freeze.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a tray in the oven to heat. Unwrap the strudel and place, seam-side down and still on its parchment, onto the tray. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle over 1 tbsp sugar. Bake for 35-40 mins, or until golden and crisp. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then dust with icing sugar.

RED WINE POACHED PEARS WITH CHOCOLATE FILLING

Steps:

• Cut bottom off each pear and core from the bottom to give each pear a flat bottom to stand upright.
• Combine wine, water, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and star anise in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and arrange pears on their sides in the saucepan. Simmer pears for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn pears and continue simmering until tender and easily poked with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Work in batches if needed.
• Remove pears from wine mixture and place in a serving dish, standing upright. Continue boiling wine sauce until reduced to about 3/4 cup, 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Fill each pear's core cavity with chocolate sauce. Pour wine sauce over each pear.

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.

PEARS IN MERINGUE WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak almonds, glace fruit, and 1/4 cup rum together overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine water, cinnamon, and jam in a large saucepan. Boil until well incorporated and syrupy. Reduce heat. Add pears and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove to an ovenproof dish. Fill cavities with crystallized fruit. Reserve pan syrup, discarding cinnamon bark.
• Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in confectioners' sugar. Pipe this meringue over pears. Dust with confectioners' sugar and bake for 5 minutes.
• Stir chocolate pieces into warm syrup and add rum.
• Serve pears on a heated platter, surrounded with warm chocolate 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.

VANILLA-SCENTED PEAR STRUDEL WITH HAZELNUTS AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make vanilla sugar:
• Combine sugar and vanilla in processor. Blend until beans are very finely chopped, about 1 minute. Sift vanilla sugar into bowl; discard contents of sieve. Transfer vanilla sugar into jar; cover. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store at room temperature.)
• Make sauce:
• Combine cream, 1/4 cup water and 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in brandy. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before serving.)
• Make filling:
• Mix 1/4 cup vanilla sugar and cornstarch in bowl. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pears; sauté until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle cornstarch mixture over pears; stir to blend.
• Simmer until juices are very thick, stirring often, about 6 minutes (longer if pears are very juicy). Remove from heat. Mix in lemon juice. Cool.
• Make strudel and phyllo triangles:
• Finely grind nuts, cookies and 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar in processor. Transfer nut mixture to small bowl.
• Butter 1 baking sheet. Place kitchen towel on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet on towel (keep remaining phyllo sheets covered with plastic wrap and damp towel). Brush phyllo with butter. Top with second phyllo sheet; brush with butter.
• Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons nut mixture. Repeat layering with 6 more phyllo sheets, buttering and sprinkling each with 3 tablespoons nut mixture. Top with another phyllo sheet (for a total of 10 sheets); brush with butter.
• Starting 2 inches in from 1 long side and 2 1/2 inches in from 1 short side, spoon filling in 3-inch-wide by 12-inch-long log parallel to 1 long side.
• Fold short sides over filling; butter folded edges.
• Using towel as aid and starting at 1 long side, roll up strudel, enclosing filling.
• Using large spatula, transfer strudel to prepared baking sheet. Brush strudel all over with butter. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Meanwhile, prepare triangles. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 1 baking sheet. Cut remaining 2 phyllo sheets in half crosswise, making 4 pieces, each about 12 by 8 inches. Place 1 phyllo piece on work surface. Brush phyllo with butter; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon nut mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar. Repeat layering with 2 more phyllo pieces, buttering and sprinkling each with 1 tablespoon nut mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar. Top with remaining phyllo piece; brush with butter. Using large knife, trim stack to 12 by 8 inches. Cut stack into six 4-inch squares. Cut squares diagonally in half.
• Transfer triangles to prepared baking sheet. Brush parchment with butter; place buttered side down on triangles. Press 1 baking sheet atop parchment, anchoring triangles.
• Bake triangles until golden, about 10 minutes. Lift off top baking sheet. Carefully remove parchment. Transfer triangles to rack; cool. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Stack baking sheet with strudel atop another baking sheet. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Stack baking sheet with strudel atop another baking sheet. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Cut strudel crosswise into 6 to 8 sections. Spoon warm chocolate sauce onto each plate. Place strudel atop sauce. Place scoop of ice cream alongside. Stand triangle between strudel and ice cream. Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.

PEARS WITH SPEEDY CHOC SAUCE

Steps:

• Drain the pears over a small pan. Divide between 4 dessert glasses or bowls. Boil the syrup on a high heat until reduced and thick. Take off the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted.
• Add 2 scoops of ice cream onto each portion of pears and pour over the hot choc sauce. Top with the chopped nuts.

PEAR-GINGER STRUDEL WITH GINGER-CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Bring cream, milk, and ginger to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat; steep 15 minutes. Whisk yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in warm cream mixture; return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 8 minutes; do not boil. Strain sauce into medium bowl; mix in vanilla. Cover; chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Whisk 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and mace to blend in small bowl. Whisk cookie crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another small bowl to blend. Set both mixtures aside.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add dried pears and pear brandy. Cover and simmer until brandy is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Mix in fresh pears and lemon peel. Sauté until pears are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture. Bring to boil and cook until filling thickens, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes; cool completely.
• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (keep remaining phyllo covered with damp towel). Brush phyllo with melted butter. Top with second phyllo sheet; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon gingersnap crumb mixture. Repeat with 5 more phyllo sheets, butter and crumb mixture. Top with phyllo (8 sheets total); brush with butter. Starting 2 inches in from 1 long side and 21/2 inches in from 1 short side, spoon half of filling in 3-inch-wide by 12-inch-long log parallel to long side. Fold short sides over ends of filling; butter folded edges. Fold nearest long side of phyllo over filling and roll up strudel, enclosing filling. Transfer strudel to prepared sheet, seam side down. Brush with butter. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make second strudel. Place on same sheet, spacing 3 inches from first strudel. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake strudels until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cut each on diagonal into 6 slices and serve warm or at room temperature with cold ginger sauce.

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.

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.