Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 firm large imported brand pears (peeled, stalks intact) 30 gms castor sugar 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp honey 1tsp lemon juice 125 mls water 1 cinnamon stick 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cardamom 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg 1 bay leaf (torn) Extra cinnamon to sprinkle Hot pouring chocolate sauce (to serve) Method: In a medium sized saucepan, combine water, sugar, spices, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and honey. Bring to the boil over high heat, while stirring, then lower heat to simmer. Add lemon juice. Gently lay pears, one by one, carefully into the syrup. Bring back to a simmer, partially covering saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating pears regularly, until tender yet still wholesome. Carefully remove pears, one by one, with a flat slotted ladle and set aside to cool in serving plate. Cover and chill. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf. If syrup is watery, simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened and reduced. Allow to cool at room temperature, then pour over poached pears. Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon powder. Serve with vanilla ice-cream on one side of the dish and a quantity of hot chocolate sauce on the other.
