Poached Pear Surprise Recipe

Poached Pear Surprise Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Be the first to write a review

Rate recipe

Pears are my husband's favorite fruit, so he immediately declared this dessert "a keeper." It's elegant but easy, satisfying yet light. Plus, it's fun to watch the looks on the faces of our grandkids and great-grandkids when they discover the surprise filling inside. —Barbara Smith, Cannon Falls, Minnesota

This recipe is:

Contest Winning

Quick

[X]

Rate Poached Pear Surprise Recipe

Click on stars to rate

Would you make this recipe again?

Write a review

[X]

Poached Pear Surprise Recipe

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Yield: 4 Servings

20 20

Ingredients

4 medium ripe pears
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon milk
CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Fresh mint, optional

Directions

Core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel pears. Cut 1/4 in. from bottom to level if necessary. In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Add pears; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat; stir vanilla into sugar syrup. Spoon over pears. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Meanwhile, combine walnuts, confectioners' sugar and milk; set aside. For chocolate sauce, in a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar and butter to a boil. Remove from the heat; add chocolate chips, stirring until melted.
To serve, drain pears well; spoon nut mixture into cavities. Place on dessert plates; top with some of the chocolate sauce. Insert a mint leaf near stem if desired. Serve with the remaining chocolate sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 serving equals 709 calories, 35 g fat (17 g saturated fat), 31 mg cholesterol, 123 mg sodium, 107 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 6 g protein.

Originally published as Poached Pear Surprise in Taste of Home August/September 2000, p27