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.
INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings):
- 4 fresh pears
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 4 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Place pears in a small ovenproof pan. Mix orange juice with 1/4 cup sugar and pour over pears.
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.
Pour orange juice mixture into a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens to the consistency of cream; remove from heat.
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.
Put each pear in a small bowl. Pour the creamy orange sauce over each pear, then drizzle chocolate on top; serve warm.