Monday, September 19, 2011

Cream Cheese-Stuffed Poached Pears & Chocolate


Oh we're getting fancy up in here!  Well, as fancy as I know how to be right now.

I recently got the chance to sample some Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolates through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker's program.  So I decided to whip up something simple and elegant - and honestly, I just wanted to play around in the kitchen!

Ingredients:



Peaches:

4 pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 liter water
1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:


1 cup cream cheese
1/8 cup brown sugar


Chocolate Sauce:
 
12 oz. can evaporated milk
12 oz. Ghirardelli 72% Cacao Twilight Delight, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt


Place pears in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a low boil under medium heat.  Stir in honey and cinnamon.  Poach the pears for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Make sure that the pears don't float up above the water or they will cook unevenly and brown from being exposed to the air.  Remove pears from liquid and place on a paper towel-lined plate to dry.

To make the filling, combine cream cheese and brown sugar in small bowl until smooth. Match pear halves by size. Spread about 1 rounded tablespoon cream cheese mixture on cut side of one pear half; press cut side of second pear half into cream cheese. Repeat with remaining pears.

For the chocolate sauce,  heat evaporated milk to boiling in a medium saucepan.  Stir in chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened and smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.



Playfully arrange the stuffed pears, as well as some without any stuffing, on a plate.


The chocolate was absolutely delicious.  I'm not really that big of a fan of dark chocolate, but combined with the refreshing pears and rich cream cheese filling, it really hit the spot.  It was a simple after-dinner dessert that really impressed both Andy and I!



Hope you guys have a great Monday!


*I was provided free samples of Ghirardelli's new line of Intense Dark Chocolates through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker's Program, but all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

26 comments:

  1. Um, hello, fancy pants! Look at you making a 5-star restaurant dessert. Yum! It looks delicious.

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  2. Yes, you did get fancy and it looks great! Love the recipe!

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  3. Wow! these look amazing! I wonder if you could add a more flavorful cheese like blue cheese without making it disgusting!

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  4. Ooooh.. you fancy! :) Pears and chocolate are always so good together, and that sweet cream cheese filling sounds dreamy. Will have to remember this for the next time I need an easy-to-make yet impressive-looking dessert.

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  5. Great pictures. This sounds amazing.

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  6. Fancy schmancy indeed. This looks so delicious and something that would be served in a restaurant. Great recipe. Perfect dessert to serve to guests. Crave worthy.

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  7. What a gorgeous, elegant dessert! You plated it beautifully!!!! Will buzz and stumble~

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  8. Lovely Peggy - three of my favorite ingredients combined into one great dessert!

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  9. This is super fancy! I love the idea of the cream cheese and brown sugar filling!

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  10. This is quite fancy! I like it! This would be so nice to serve at a dinner party! That chocolate sauce looks divine!

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  11. That is definitely fancy...and ridiculously delicious-looking.

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  12. Sounds great. Fancy can sometimes be too much, but this doesn't seem like it would be too much at all!

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  13. Lovely dessert made from pears, one of my fav fruits.

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  14. WOW,,,,fancy and elegant dessert,sound delicious too,Yum :)
    Ridwan

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  15. wow!!Looks so yum & make me hungry!! Glad to be your new follower...visit me @http://www.foodssrilanka.blogspot.com/

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  16. Delicious, love this peach desserts.

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  17. OOO this sounds so so so good!! Looks beautiful too!

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  18. These photos are beyond stunning, my goodness they're perfect! I've had poached pears with homemade ice cream and other toppings but none as beautiful as this one. Thanks for sharing such a gorgeous dish, well done! =]

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  19. wow ... just wow. Just the sound of creamed cheese stuffing in poached pears has my mouth watering. sounds positively inspired.

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  20. Oooh! I like it when you play in the kitchen! Looks like proper hooty tooty restaurant pears! They sound super yummy too, loving the cream cheese/pear combo :)

    By the way, I've given you an award over on Deep Dish :)

    http://psdeepdish.blogspot.com/2011/09/frosted-robin.html

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  21. So beautiful and elegant! It looks expensive, that's for sure! Mmmmm...I love dark chocolate...

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  22. They look like those desserts you usually see in a gourmet restaurant! Yummy!

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  23. Just bought me some pears yesterday! I would love to be brave enough to try this!

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  24. Peggy, this looks amazing! And I love your presentation!

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