Poached Pears Belle Helene

Recipe View In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Gently place the pears in the pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and pod to the poaching liquid. Stir in the sugar. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, stirring carefully to dissolve the sugar, being mindful not to disturb the pears too much. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. To ensure even poaching, place a small plate over the pears to keep them submerged. Simmer until the pears are just tender, about 20-25 minutes. Test for doneness by removing the plate and gently piercing a pear with a fork or knife.

Recipe View Remove the pot from the heat and allow the pears to cool completely in the poaching liquid. This step is crucial for the pears to absorb the flavors fully. (1-2 hours)

Recipe View Carefully transfer the pears and vanilla beans to a storage container, covering them with some of the poaching liquid. Cover and refrigerate until the pears are thoroughly chilled, ideally overnight. Reserve the remaining poaching liquid for other uses, such as flavoring cocktails or drizzling over cakes.

Recipe View Gently warm the hot fudge sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth and slightly runny. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Dip the base of each pear into the warm chocolate sauce, then use a spoon to carefully coat the sides, leaving about an inch of the top of the pear uncovered. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Place each chocolate-dipped pear in an individual serving bowl. Add a generous spoonful of the remaining warm hot fudge sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately and enjoy! (5 minutes)