Pears Belle Helene

Classic French dessert, poached pears dipped in chocolate and served with ice cream!

Ingredients:

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2 cinnamon sticks
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¾ cup sugar
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2 ½ cups water, divided 
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4 firm bosc pears, peeled and cored with stem intact

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Vanilla ice cream
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½ cup chocolate sauce, for drizzling 
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Directions:

1. Combine cinnamon sticks, sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat simmering 2-5 minutes, until it becomes a thick like syrup and turns golden brown.
2. Turn heat to lowest setting and gently whisk in remaining 2 cups of water, until syrup is completely incorporated into water.
3. Add prepared pears to the sugar syrup mixture and bring to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.  Test doneness with a knife by pricking in the thickest part of fruit.  Pears are poached when they are just cooked through, not completely soft.
4. Allow pears to cool in syrup until they are at room temperature.  Lift the pears carefully with a slotted spoon.
5. Serve with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.

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