Jo Pratt creates a chilli chocolate delight in Monmouth
Ingredients
Before you start...
Chocolate pots will need a few hours to set in the fridge before serving.
For the chocolate pots:
- 150 ml5¼ fl oz single cream
- 100 g3½ oz dark chilli chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
- 2 egg yolks
- 20 g¾ oz unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
For the pears:
- 4 ripe pears, peeled
- 500 ml17½ fl oz bottle of perry
- 75 g2¾ oz caster sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 vanilla pod, split
Method: How to make Chilli chocolate pots with poached pears
Heat the cream in a small pan until the cream is just bubbling, but not quite boiling. Remove from the heat and drop in the chocolate and sugar, stirring until it is all melted and dissolved.
Beat in the egg yolk and butter until smooth. Pour into espresso cups and leave to set in the fridge for a few hours.
The chilli chocolate can be eaten straight from the fridge or, for a softer consistency, leave at room temperature for about an hour first.
To cook the pears, place the perry, sugar, honey and vanilla pod into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the pears and, unless they are totally submerged in the poaching liquid, cut out some greaseproof paper to fit inside the pan and sit on top of them. Simmer for around 20-30 minutes or until the pears feel tender when tested with a skewer.
Lift the pears out with a slotted spoon to drain and bring the poaching liquid to the boil. Boil for 15–20 minutes (depending on how wide your pan is) until you have a loose, syrupy consistency. Leave to cool (this will be quicker if you pour the liquid into a cool jug, bowl or pan).
To serve: Remove the vanilla pod from the syrup and serve the pears with the syrup spooned over them and with a chilli chocolate pot on the side.
