110 minutes
A delightful dessert featuring poached Bosc pears in a citrus-infused black tea, served with a rich chocolate drizzle.
cups
Black Tea Bags
each
cups
Bosc Pears, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, and cored
each
Orange Zest, zested
each
teaspoons
Vegan Chocolate, chopped
0 oz
Vanilla Ice Cream
optional
Mint Sprigs
optional
1. Prepare Tea Mixture
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Once boiling, turn off the heat and add the 4 black tea bags and 1/4 cup of sugar. Let the tea steep for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse and the sugar to dissolve completely.
2. Poach Pears
After 15 minutes, remove the tea bags from the mixture. Bring the tea back to a boil and then add the peeled, halved, and cored Bosc pears along with the orange zest and vanilla extract. Once it returns to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for a total of 35 minutes. Remove the orange peel after the first 15 minutes to avoid overpowering the dish, and continue simmering the pears for another 20 minutes until they are tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.
3. Cool Pears
Carefully transfer the pears and the poaching liquid to a large bowl and let them cool completely. This cooling step is crucial as it allows the flavors to meld further.
4. Prepare Chocolate Sauce
While the pears are cooling, prepare the chocolate sauce. Pour 1 cup of the reserved tea liquid into a pot and bring it to a simmer. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until it has melted into a smooth, glossy sauce. This should take just a few minutes. Allow the sauce to cool for about an hour.
5. Serve
When you're ready to serve, ladle some of the chocolate sauce into small dessert bowls. Place a pear half in each bowl, and if you like, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Garnish with mint sprigs for a touch of color and freshness. Enjoy your beautifully poached pears with a rich chocolate drizzle, a dessert that’s both elegant and comforting.
Choose pears that are ripe yet firm, such as Bosc or Anjou. These varieties hold their shape well when poached and offer a nice texture contrast with the silky chocolate drizzle.
Slice a small portion off the bottom of each pear so they stand upright on the plate. Drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern for a professional touch, and garnish with a sprig of mint or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Use high-quality, bittersweet chocolate (around 70% cocoa) for the drizzle. It will balance the sweetness of the pears and add a luxurious finish.
Use a microplane to zest the citrus fruit—this will give you fine zest without the bitter white pith. The zest releases oils that are packed with flavor, enhancing the tea's aroma.
Don’t rush the infusion process of the black tea and citrus. The longer you allow the flavors to meld, the more pronounced they will be in the final dish. Consider using loose-leaf tea for a more robust flavor.
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