Pears with chocolate sauce

• pears↗8
• lemon↗1

  zest removed in strips

• 1 orange↗

  zest removed in strips

• vanilla pod↗1

  split

• golden caster sugar↗200g g
• cinnamon stick↗1
• white wine↗600ml ml
• vanilla↗

  ice cream, to serve

• plain chocolate↗300g g

  chopped

• double cream↗300ml ml
• milk↗150ml ml
• butter↗25g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact, then take the core out from the bottom of each by using a small sharp knife or a melon baller. Flatten the bottom by slicing off a little bit so that it will sit upright when served. Put the pears into a saucepan with the zests, vanilla pod, sugar, cinnamon, white wine and 600ml water, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and poach for about 20-25 mins until they are cooked all the way through, but are not so soft that they will fall apart. Leave to cool in the liquid. Can be made and chilled a day ahead.

2. 2

   When cool, take the pears out, strain out the cinnamon, zest and vanilla pod (keep the pod, allow it to dry, then pop it into a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar), then pour the syrup back in the pan. Boil until reduced by half to a thin syrup.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Warm the cream, milk and butter in a heavy based pan. Stir this into the melted chocolate, set aside and keep warm. Can be made and chilled a day ahead. If the sauce cools and thickens too much, warm it again gently over a pan of simmering water or for 30 secs in a microwave. Serve the pears with plenty of syrup, chocolate sauce and good-quality vanilla ice cream.