Poached pears served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream.
Chef's notes
Once all of the components are made, this recipe takes no time to put together, so it is a great dessert to make in advance.
Poire Belle Hélène is a dessert made from pears poached in sugar syrup and served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream. Apparently, Poire Belle Hélène was created in the late 1800's by Escoffier and named after the operetta "La belle Hélène".
For a quicker version, you can replace the poached pears with canned pears.
Steps
1
Poaching the Pears
Ingredients
4 poached pears
If already made, proceed to the next step.
Follow the recipe for Poached Pears.
2
Making the Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
1 recipe Warm Chocolate Sauce
If already made, proceed to the next step.
Follow the recipe for Warm Chocolate Sauce.
3
Toasting the Almonds
Ingredients
1/4 cup sliced almonds
If already made, proceed to the next step.
To toast the almonds, spread the nuts in a single layer onto a baking tray. Roast the nuts in either a low or moderate preheated oven. If roasting at higher temperatures, make sure to keep a watchful eye on the nuts, as they will roast rather quickly.
Once golden, remove from the tray and let cool completely.
4
Making the Chantilly Cream
Ingredients
1 recipe Chantilly cream
Just before assembling the dish, follow the instructions for Chantilly Cream.
5
Assembling the Dessert
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream (approx.)
To assemble the dish, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the bottom of a serving glass or bowl. Place a poached pear over top. Drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.
6
Serving the Dessert
To serve the dessert, top with the Chantilly cream. Sprinkle with the chopped, toasted almonds and serve immediately.
