Pears Helene

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 4 ripe Bosc pears
• 5 oz (130g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Bring the sugar and 1 1/4 cups water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Add the vanilla bean.
3. Peel the pears, leaving the stems attached, and place in the saucepan.
4. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.
5. Simmer the pears, turning them occasionally, about 20 minutes, until tender.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a dish and let cool.
7. Remove the vanilla bean (which can be rinsed, dried and used again) and reserve the poaching syrup.
8. To make the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of very hot water.
9. Heat the cream and 1/4 cup of the poaching syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.
10. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until smooth.
11. Serve each pear in a shallow bowl, topped a drizzle of the sauce.
12. Serve immediately, with the rest of the sauce on the side.

sugar, vanilla bean, pears, bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/pears-hegraveleacutene (may not work)