Poached Pear and Dried Apricots with Chocolate Sauce

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 large pear
• 6 whole dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a heavy saucepan combine the sugar, the rum, and 1/2 cup water and simmer the mixture for 2 minutes.
2. Add the pear, peeled, halved, and cored, and the apricots and poach the fruit, covered, spooning the syrup over the pear occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pear is tender.
3. In a small heavy saucepan combine the chocolate, 2 tablespoons water, and the vanilla and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is smooth.
4. Transfer the pear halves to a work surface, cut them diagonally, into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and fan them onto 2 plates.
5. Sprinkle the apricots over the pear slices and spoon the chocolate sauce around the fruit.

sugar, dark rum, pear, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/poached-pear-and-dried-apricots-with-chocolate-sauce-12811 (may not work)