Chocolate Wrapped Pears
2 cups sugar
8 cups water
Juice of 2 lemons
4 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
¼ cup crème de menthe
12 firm, ripe pears with stems
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
¼ pound butter, softened
Fresh or crystallized mint
• Dissolve the sugar in the water.
• Add the lemon juice, spices and crème de menthe and simmer, tightly covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Peel the pears carefully; leaving the stems intact, and cut a slice off the bottoms so they will stand upright.
• Poach the pears in the gently boiling syrup until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cool the pears in the syrup and then chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over warm water.
• Add the butter and stir until it is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Remove the pears from the syrup and dry carefully with paper towel.
• Dip each pear into the melted chocolate to coat evenly.
• Use a spoon, if necessary, to fill in the uncoated spots.
• Lift the pears out of the chocolate to drain off the excess.
• Arrange on a serving dish.
• Decorate the top of each pear with a sprig of parsley or crystallized mint.
• Chill until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 servings
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