Friday, November 19, 2010

Poached Pears with Chocolate Ganache Puddle


This post will be a short one - I'm writing from New York where I'm taking some time to re-visit some of my favourite food spots. I've also been to a few new places I will be writing about soon. My days at the FCI might be a couple years behind me now, but I always find time to come back to NYC and get re-inspired by some of my favorite eats.

This recipe is really simple to put together but really looks beautiful when served at the table. Poached pears are really an easy way to showcase fruit, and poaching them with some fresh ginger gives the pears a wonderful flavor.

Poached Pears with Chocolate Ganache Puddle
Serves 4

4 Bosc pears
1 piece of fresh ginger, 1/4 inch thick, peeled
1 lemon
2 cups of sugar
4 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Add the water and sugar to a large saucepan on medium heat. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved into the water (you can swirl the pan to help it dissolve). Using a vegetable peeler, peel a couple strips of lemon zest and add to the water. Then, juice 1/2 lemon and add to the water. Add the ginger. While the sugar is dissolving, peel the pears. Be careful to leave the stem intact and to neatly peel the skin around it.

Add the pears to the water mixture and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until the pears are soft but still hold their shape.

To make the ganache: finely chop the chocolate and add to a heat-proof bowl. Place the cream in a little pot and bring to a strong simmer. Right before the cream starts to boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate and cream form a homogeneous mixture. Fold in the vanilla extract. To plate, add a couple ladles of chocolate sauce to each serving plate and place a well drained poached pear at the center of each chocolate puddle.

19 comments:

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

This is such a classic dessert. So elegant and you've presented it beautifully.

Enjoy NY.
Sam

Anonymous said...

Perfect. This is so classy looking.

The Italian Dish said...

So beautiful and simple. I love it.

I hope you're going to Eataly. I'm sure you wouldn't miss it. I'll look forward to your NYC post.

A Bowl Of Mush said...

This looks so beautiful :)
A gorgeous way to showcase seasonal pears!

Asha @ FSK said...

Love the plating!! the chocolate puddles almost as part of the plate design! love poached pears :)

Prerna@IndianSimmer said...

I've been thinking poached pear for days and have just been lazy to make one. Thanks to you now I hHAVE to make one!! :-)

Citron said...

I agree with you Sam. This is a beautiful way to serve this all-time classic. Very inspiring.

Chocolate Freckles said...

Ohh gorgeous as always!!!!

Torviewtoronto said...

beautiful pears

Trissa said...

You're in New York? Fantastic! One of my favourite cities... The pears look very classy and I love the ganache "puddle" - such a cute name.

Lyndsay Wells said...

Oh my gosh, those look so elegant. I think this would be a beautiful dessert to serve my book group.

Enjoy New York...

Dustin Baier said...

These look really tasty and you have such nice pictures. We would love it if you shared over at www.dishfolio.com

MaryBeth said...

Very elegant dessert...chocolate makes everything taste good.

Joudie's Mood Food said...

Beauty on a plate! And i love the chcolate 'puddle'!

Heather Baird said...

Wow, those are so beautiful! Poaching pears is so wonderful this time of year. I bet they are outstanding with chocolate ganache!!

Unknown said...

I love poached pears, and your dish is so beautiful! The chocolate ganache is a nice touch. Thanks for visiting my blog:)

susan said...

I am so jealous that you are in NYC. I love that place! Poached pears are the only way I eat pears, and so good to see them in a different way than the popular red wine.

AnaDrol said...

This desert is trully a classic and oh so good. Thanks for the tip.

Kathleen Bade said...

Girl, this is just beautiful.

Am headed to NYC in couple of weeks,
any restaurants you recommend?

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