Ingredients
Chocolate ganache
175g good quality milk chocolate
95ml thickened cream
5g liquid glucose
Pinch sea salt
25g unsalted butter, cubed
Poached pears
6 pears, firm and ripe
540ml sparkling Shiraz
290g caster sugar
290ml water
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
30g honey
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Chocolate nests
200g good quality milk chocolate
Recipe by Kirsten Tibballs
Photography by Kristoffer Paulsen
Method
1. To prepare the chocolate ganache, gently heat the chocolate in a microwave-safe plastic bowl until it is half melted.
2. Boil the cream together with the glucose and salt, then pour it over the partially melted chocolate and whisk until completely melted and smooth.
3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking until completely melted and incorporated.
4. Cover the surface of the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to set at room temperature for 5 hours.
5. To prepare the poached pears, peel the pears while leaving the stems in place, then rub the flesh of the pear with a clean scourer to create a smooth surface.
6. In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the sparkling Shiraz, sugar, water, cinnamon, honey, ginger and vanilla. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
7 Once the honey has melted, add the pears and cover with a cartouche. Reduce to low heat, and simmer for 25-30 mins, turning occasionally, until tender. If the pears are small, reduce the cooking time by 5 mins.
8. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator until required.
9. To prepare the chocolate nests, place a slab of granite, marble, or heavy metal tray in the freezer, preferably overnight.
10. In a microwave-safe plastic bowl, heat the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until just melted.
11. Place the frozen stone or tray onto a tea towel on your workbench.
12. Transfer the chocolate into a ziplock bag or paper piping cone and cut a small tip off the end, then pipe lines over the frozen stone.
13. Working quickly, lift the piped chocolate and twist them to create nests that will fit the base of the pears.
14. Allow the nests to set on the frozen stone for up to 10 mins, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
15. To assemble, cut the pears from their bases to remove the cores, leaving the stems intact.
16. Pipe the prepared ganache into the cavities of the pears.
17. Place the chocolate nest onto a serving plate, then top with the poached pear just prior to serving.
Wine Match
Tawny