Sweet Chocolate Pears

Luscious ripe pears are slowly baked in a sweet bath of orange juice and sugar, then served with their own orange sauce and a drizzle of melted chocolate. For best presentation choose firm pears, do not remove the stem, and core the pear from the bottom.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 430 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• 4 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
• 4 fresh pears
• 2 cups orange juice

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Step 2

Place pears in a small ovenproof pan. Mix orange juice with 1/4 cup sugar and pour over pears.

Step 3

Cook in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes; occasionally turn and sprinkle remaining sugar over pears. Remove pears from oven when soft and let cool.

Step 4

Pour orange juice mixture into a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens to the consistency of cream; remove from heat.

Step 5

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt chocolate. Add a few tablespoons of hot milk if the chocolate becomes too thick to stir.

Step 6

Put each pear in a small bowl. Pour the creamy orange sauce over each pear, then drizzle chocolate on top; serve warm.