Try Poached Fresh Pears in Fudge Sauce : A Perfect Grand Finale at Festive Dinner Party

Poached Pears With Fudge Sauce will make a grand finale at a festive dinner party.

Fresh pears become a spectacular dessert when poached and topped with fudge sauce. The fruit is peeled and simmered in lemon flavored syrup, then cooled to room temperature or chilled. The remaining syrup is used to make the fudge sauce.

POACHED PEARS WITH FUDGE SAUCE

4 to 6 pears

Lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

3 (1/2-inch) strips lemon peel

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, optional

2 cups water

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Rub pears with lemon juice immediately after peeling. Combine sugar, lemon peel, vanilla bean and water in large pan. Heat liquid to dissolve sugar. Add pears, cover and simmer 10 to 30 minutes or until tender.

Remove pears from pan and cool. Remove vanilla bean and lemon peel from liquid. Continue to cook liquid until reduced to 1/3 cup and mixture thickens slightly. Add chocolate and heat until melted. Stir in butter until melted.

Serve pears at room temperature or chilled, upright on serving plate with warm fudge sauce. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Pears may be poached ahead and chilled. Fudge sauce may be prepared ahead and reheated in microwave oven.