ORANGE POACHED PEARS

Orange Poached Pears image

Drizzling a chocolate sauce over orange-flavored pears brings a formal dinner to an elegant conclusion. Add a strip of orange zest to each serving for a finishing touch. -Jacquie Ogden, Dawson Creek, British Columbia

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 50m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

8 whole pears
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon butter
Orange zest strips, optional

Steps:

With an apple corer or sharp knife, carefully remove core from bottom of pears to within 1 in. of stem, leaving pears whole with stem. Peel the pears., In a Dutch oven, combine the orange juice, water, brown sugar, butter and orange zest. Bring to a boil; add pears. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pears are tender, turning several times. Remove pears and set aside. Simmer cooking juices, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thickened to a syrup consistency., For chocolate sauce, in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, heat the chocolate, cream and butter until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Spoon pear syrup into dessert dishes; place a pear in each dish and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Garnish with orange zest strips if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 252 calories, Fat 9g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 15mg cholesterol, Sodium 51mg sodium, Carbohydrate 45g carbohydrate (37g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 2g protein.