An ideal dinner party dessert, these poached pears will keep in the syrup in the fridge for up to a week.
Serves 6


350g castor sugar
2 slices lemon
800ml water
400ml white wine
6 beurre bosc pears, peeled and cored, but with stalks intact
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Pure icing sugar, for dusting
Good-quality vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Stuffing:
4 tbsp sherry
6 prunes, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp currants
100g good-quality dark chocolate, melted
10g toasted flaked almonds
4 pieces glacé ginger, chopped

1. Combine sugar, lemon, water and white wine in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Add pears, reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer, turning pears occasionally, for 30 minutes or so until tender. Remove pears and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. To make stuffing, heat sherry in a small saucepan. When hot, add prunes and currants. Stir, remove from the heat and set aside to soak for 15–20 minutes. Strain. Combine melted chocolate, almond, ginger and prune mixture, then set aside to cool.
4. Cut the rough shape of three pears from each pastry sheet, with an extra 3cm all round. Spread 1 tablespoon of stuffing on each pastry pear and set pears on top. Transfer to the baking tray and bake for 14 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve with a generous serve of vanilla ice-cream.

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