Pears In Meringue With Chocolate Sauce Recipes

TRAY-BAKED MERINGUE WITH PEARS, CREAM, TOASTED HAZELNUTS AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a sheet of waxed paper.
• Put your egg whites into a squeaky clean bowl, making sure there are absolutely no little pieces of egg shell or egg yolk in them. Whisk on medium until the whites form firm peaks. With your mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and the pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to the highest setting and whisk for about 7 or 8 minutes, until the meringue mixture is white and glossy. To test whether it's done you can pinch some between your fingers - if it feels completely smooth it's ready; if it's slightly granular it needs a little more whisking.
• Dot each corner of the waxed paper with a blob of meringue, then turn it over and stick it to the baking sheet. Spoon the meringue out onto the paper. Using the back of a spoon, shape and swirl it into a rectangle. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until crisp on the outside and a little soft and sticky inside. At the same time, bake the hazelnuts on a separate sheet in the oven for 1 hour or until golden brown.
• Drain the cans of pears, reserving the syrup from 1 can. Cut each pear half into 3 slices. Pour the pear syrup into a saucepan with the ginger, if using, and warm gently over a medium heat until it starts to simmer. Take off the heat and snap the chocolate into the saucepan, stirring with a spoon until it's all melted.
• Take the meringue and hazelnuts out of the oven and leave to cool. Place the meringue on a nice rustic board or platter. Whip the cream with the sifted icing sugar and the vanilla seeds until it forms smooth, soft peaks. Smash the toasted hazelnuts (in a kitchen towel) and sprinkle half of them over the top of the meringue. Spoon half the whipped cream over the top and drizzle with some of the chocolate sauce (if the sauce has firmed up, melt it slightly by holding the saucepan over a large pan of boiling water). Divide most of the pear pieces evenly over the top. Pile over the rest of the whipped cream and pears. Drizzle with some more chocolate sauce, then sprinkle over the remaining toasted hazelnuts with some grated orange zest. Serve straightaway. If you're making this in advance, get everything ready and assemble at the last minute.

CARAMELIZED PEARS WITH DARK CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut pears in half vertically. Gently cut or scrape out core. Dip cut edges in lemon juice. Sprinkle about ½ tablespoon sugar over the cut edges of each pear half.
• Place each pear, cut side down, in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar in skillet around pears. Cook 7 to 9 minutes or until sugar is melted and golden and cut surface of pears is golden. Remove pears from skillet.
• Meanwhile, heat half-and-half in a 2-cup glass measuring cup in microwave oven on high (100 percent power) 45 to 60 seconds or until steaming hot but not boiling. (Watch carefully so it does not boil.) Immediately add chocolate to hot half-and-half. Allow to stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate melts. Stir to blend and melt chocolate. (If necessary, return to microwave oven and heat on high power in 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted.) Stir in vanilla.
• Place a small scoop of frozen yogurt in each dessert bowl. Place pear halves on yogurt. Drizzle any collected caramelized sugar over pears. Drizzle with dark chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

PEARS COVERED WITH CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add the pears, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove pears and set them on a plate.
• In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Spoon chocolate over pears to coat. Remove pears to a clean plate, and chill until serving. Serve cold.

PEARS IN CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Leave stems on peeled pears. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
• In a saucepan large enough to accommodate 4 pears standing upright, combine water and sugar. Place over medium heat, and boil until sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla, then place the pears in. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool in liquid, then drain.
• In the top of a double boiler, combine chocolate, cream and butter. Heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in coffee liqueur.
• Place pears on serving dish, pour chocolate sauce over pears, and garnish with maraschino cherries.

TRAY BAKED MERINGUE W PEARS, CREAM, TOASTED HAZELNUTS, CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and line 40 x 25cm baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper.
• Put your egg whites into a squeaky clean bowl, making sure there are absolutely no little pieces of egg shell or egg yolk in them.
• Whisk on medium until the whites form firm peaks.
• With your mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and the pinch of salt.
• Turn the mixer up to the highest setting and whisk for about 7-8 minutes, until the meringue mixture is white and glossy, to test whether it's done you can pinch some between your fingers- if it feels completely smooth it's ready; if it's slightly granular it needs a little more whisking.
• Dot each corner of the greaseproof paper with a blob of meringue, then turn it over and stick it to the baking tray, spoon the meringue out onto the paper, using the back of a spoon, shape and swirl it into a A4 size rectangle.
• Place in the preheated oven and bake for a hour or until crisp on the outside and a little soft and sticky on the inside, at the same time bake the hazelnuts on a separate tray in the oven for a hour or until golden brown.
• Drain the tin of pears, reserving the syrup from the tin, cut each pear into 6 slices.
• Pour the pear syrup into a saucepan (with the ginger) and warm gently over a medium heat until it starts to simmer.
• Take off the heat and snap the chocolate into saucepan with the syrup, stirring with a spoon until its all melted.
• Take the meringue and hazelnuts out of the oven and leave to cool.
• Place the meringue on a nice rustic board or platter.
• Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla seeds until it forms smooth soft peaks.
• Smash the toasted hazelnuts (in a tea towel) and sprinkle half of them over the meringue.
• Spoon half the whipped cream over the top of the meringue and drizzle with some of the chocolate syrup sauce.
• Divide most of the pear pieces evenly over the top, pile on the rest of the whipped cream, drizzle with the chocolate syrup sauce and the rest of the hazelnuts.
• Serve straight away.

PEAR & CHOCOLATE MINI PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line 2 large baking sheets with non-stick baking paper. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
• Gradually whisk in the sugar 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture is very stiff and shiny. Sift in the cornflour then, using a large metal spoon, fold in along with the vinegar. Divide the mixture into 8 mounds and place on the parchment paper. With a dessert spoon, flatten each one out to approximately 9cm in diameter and make a light indent in the centre of each.
• Cook for 40-50 mins or until the meringue mixture is hard and the baking parchment peels away easily from the bottom of the each one. Cool on a wire rack. You can make these up to three days in advance and store in an airtight container or freeze for up to a month.
• Using a sharp knife, score around and scoop out the core of the pears, keeping the stalk on. Place the pears in a medium pan in a single layer - they should fit quite tightly. Add the honey, apple juice and cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat, cover with a round of baking parchment and a lid. Simmer for 35-40 mins until pears are tender. Remove lid and paper, turn up the heat and allow the liquid to bubble away until it has turned to a sticky glaze. Leave to cool. Pears may be refrigerated for up to 2 days, coated in glaze and covered.
• Meanwhile, make the chocolate sauce and cream filling. Add the double cream and chocolate to the pan and stir constantly over a gentle heat, until the chocolate has melted. Stir together the cream and Greek yogurt until thick, but still soft - it will thicken up without beating.
• To serve, put the meringues on serving plates and top with a dollop of the cream filling. Place a glazed pear on top and drizzle with some warm chocolate sauce. Serve straight away, handing round any extra sauce.

SWEET CHOCOLATE PEARS

Steps:

• 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.