Dessert "Beautiful Helen"

Ingredients:

Vanilla Poached Pears

• 6 tbsp of water
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 vanilla bean
• 6 firm pears, such as Bosc or Brutlett

Chocolate sauce

• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 340 dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 l. vanilla ice cream
• Wafer cookies, for serving

Preparation:

1. Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add them to the saucepan along with the bean. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
2. Peel the pears. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the pears. Cook until tender (a knife inserted completely through the pear should offer slight resistance), about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the pears cool completely in the liquid, about 45 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over low heat. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.
4. Serve the pears with a scoop of ice cream drizzled with a little pear syrup and warm chocolate sauce. Garnish each serving with a wafer cookie.