Poached pear

• There is enough for more than 4 people when it comes to the amount of pears. I just prefer to make a large batch; they can stay in the syrup in the fridge for many months afterwards. It's an advantage to make them the day before, so they are cold when served.
• First, remove the core from the pears. You can easily do this with a small sharp knife. Start from the bottom, remove the flower, and then the core. I chose to cut my pears in half lengthwise, but you don't necessarily have to do that.
• Next, peel the pears.
• Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds.
• Bring the water to a boil with the sugar and vanilla seeds.
• Add the pears to the water when it boils. Let them boil under a lid until they are tender. This takes about 20-30 minutes, but keep an eye on them. You can, if you wish, place a small plate or saucer on top of the pears to keep them submerged in the syrup.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let the pears sit in the syrup while they cool for about an hour.
• You can now pour them into a preserving jar.
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• If you're not using chocolate chips, coarsely chop your chocolate.
• Put milk, cream, and chocolate in a saucepan/pot and melt together, stirring with a whisk, over low heat.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Cut the butter into smaller pieces and stir it into the sauce a little at a time.
• The sauce will end up glossy on the surface and should only be served warm (about 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit)).
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• It's almost up to you how you want to serve your Pear Belle Helene.
• You can place a whole pear on the plate with a quenelle/scoop of vanilla ice cream, almonds, and chocolate sauce.
• You can cut your pear into smaller pieces, chop the almonds, let the chocolate sauce sit at the bottom or pour it over - only your imagination sets the limits.
• We like to put some effort into the food, so this one was plated to perfection.