Poached Pears (Poires Belle Helene)
Poached Pears (Poires Belle Helene)
One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it’s so incredibly easy to make. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mind making a chocolate cake or baking up something more elaborate for really special occasions, but the reality is that when I come home from work and I’m craving a quick dessert, recipes like these poached pears with chocolate sauce are truly convenient.
Traditionally, poached pears are made by creating a syrup with sugar and vanilla, then simmered with water to create a sweet liquid to soak the pears in. This is usually done over the stove, and it takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Not bad, but it could be quicker.
What I like to do is make the process super simple by steam-cooking the pears in the microwave. All I do is peel the pears, place them in a deep, microwave-safe bowl, add a little bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
I’ve recently been using Reynolds KITCHENS® Quick Cut™ Plastic Wrap for my food storage and culinary needs, and I’ve been loving it! I’m normally not a fan of plastic wrap, even though it’s a kitchen necessity, because I hate dealing with the useless roll that always seems to pop out of the box and never gives me a clean tear.
The neat part about Reynolds KITCHENS® Quick Cut™ Plastic Wrap is that the roll is secured inside the box, and the box includes a built-in slide cutter so you get a perfectly clean cut every single time. There’s also a handy starter edge™ that makes it really easy to find the start of each roll.
When I’m preparing a simple dessert like these poached pears, the last thing I need to be doing is wrestling with a package of plastic wrap!
Aside from the pear that is used for this dessert, the rest of the ingredients are typically ingredients that I always have stocked in my pantry and fridge. A little dark chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, and ice cream can always be found in my home.
I normally stock up on chocolate ice cream, which is why I’ve used it here in this recipe, but you can also use vanilla or strawberry. The last time I made this recipe, I invited my sister over to celebrate the completion of a project I had been working on in my job, and we dug into these poached pears with chocolate sauce while kicking up our feet after a long, yet fruitful day at work.
So if you’re looking to celebrate the small victories in your everyday life, or just looking to indulge in something irresistible after a long day, make sure you give these poached pears a try. I think you’ll love them!
If you want to learn more about Reynolds KITCHENS® Quick Cut™ Plastic Wrap and where you can find it, check out their website here!

Poached Pears (Poires Belle Helene)
A super quick and easy rendition of poached pears with chocolate sauce and ice cream.
Ingredients
- 2 pears
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 oz. dark chocolate, melted
- 4 tbsp ice cream
Instructions
- Peel your pears, leaving the stems intact. Place the pears in a deep, microwave-safe bowl.
- Pour the vanilla and maple syrup over the pears. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap, making sure the bowl is wrapped well and sealed.
- Microwave the pears for 8 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully take the pears out of the microwave and transfer to your serving bowls.
- Pour some melted chocolate over each pear, then adorn each pear with a couple tablespoons of ice cream. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 2 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 194