I made these Poached Pears in Chocolate Cups with Raspberry Sauce for dessert after our brisket dinner last weekend.
Poaching is gentle, stove-top cooking, and pears are an ideal fruit for this cooking method.
The best pear for poaching in my opinion is the Bosc.
I prefer Bosc for a few reasons. There is a fresh sweetness to them.
They remain firm even when they are ripe. They are surprisingly easy to peel with a good quality vegetable peeler because their skin is quite thin and it is easy to hold them in one hand while peeling from the top down with the other.
Their shape is a bit more dramatic, especially if you are serving them whole with the stem intact.
You will want to remove the core carefully. Using a melon baller for this, if you have one, makes it so easy.
Trim the slightest bit off the bottom to ensure the pear will stand up easily in the pan and also in the serving dish.
Poaching the Pears
Here is a very simple poaching liquid…
Ingredients
4 firm, but ripe Bosc pears, peeled and cored
2 cups sweet white to medium dry white wine
3 and ½ cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 and ½ to 2 cups granulated sugar (or to taste, especially if the pears are very sweet)
Thinly peel the pears making sure to keep the stem intact. Trim the bottom slightly to make them flat so they can stand easily,
Gently remove the core from the bottom without going up too far, (You can pick out some seeds if you need to).
In a large saucepan stir together the white wine, water, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and lemon juice. You will be adding the sugar later.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium high heat and stand the pears in the liquid.
Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer until the pears are cooked through, about 15 minutes, maybe more depending on the size of the pears.
The most important thing is to test them for doneness by poking one with a paring knife. If it meets no resistance it is done.
You do not want them underdone or overcooked and mushy.
During the cooking make sure the pears are fully immersed in the poaching liquid to avoid any browning. If need be you can add a small amount of water to cover them fully.
When done,carefully remove with a slotted spoon to a storage container. Set aside while you reduce the poaching liquid to a syrup.
Return the poaching liquid to a simmer and now add the sugar. Allow the mixture to reduce by half in volume, about 6 to 8 minutes or more.
The syrup is ready when to is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove the cinnamon stick before straining the syrup through a fine sieve.
At this point you could serve them. I prefer to let them sit immersed in the syrup in a covered bowl or container until ready to serve. They will keep well for several days in the fridge.
Now to gild the lily…
The Chocolate Cup
Melt your favorite semi-sweet or dark chocolate in a bowl in the microwave, or in a double boiler on the stovetop.
If melting in the microwave...
Make sure the chocolate is chopped into small, uniform pieces…chocolate chips, for example need no further chopping.
Place the chopped chocolate into a glass bowl. The glass insulates the chocolate, preventing scorching.
Heat the chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each.
As the outside edges begin to melt faster, the stirring will help to distribute the heat and it will melt faster and more evenly.
Once your chocolate is completely melted and still warm, spread open a standard size cupcake paper, flattening the creases a bit to make a more open, wider and more shallow bowl or cup shape.
Dip a pastry brush into the warm flowing chocolate and brush the inside bottom of the paper with chocolate.
When the bottom is completely covered brush up the sides from the bottom up also on the inside of the cupcake paper.
When the entire inside is coated with chocolate place on a tray and refrigerate until completely hardened.
Then carefully peel the paper away from the top edge. It may take a few tries till you get it, but it will come off. Then just continue removing the paper gently, but quickly so the chocolate doesn’t get too warm from your hands.
Make a few more than what you need in case you break one. If your chocolate stops flowing, reheat just a bit in the microwave.
Place your chocolate cups on a tray in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve dessert.
Raspberry Sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
In a medium saucepan bring the raspberries, sugar, water, lemon zest and juice to a boil over medium-low heat.
Reduce the heat and simmer it for about 10 minutes or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.
With an immersion blender, puree the sauce till smooth in the saucepan, or pour into your blender and puree.
Pour the sauce through a fine sieve over a bowl, pushing with the back of a wooden spoon.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the dessert.
Assembly (Keep in mind the pears, chocolate cups, and raspberry sauce can all be made in advance!)
Place the chocolate cups on individual dessert plates.
Remove the pears from the syrup and place inside the chocolate cup.
Drizzle the raspberry sauce over the pear, and artfully around the dessert plate.
Garnish with a pretty mint leaf.
Oh, and if you must, add a small scoop of good vanilla ice cream on the side!
Looks Christmasy, no? Happy Holidays!
