Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 lb / 125g of Chocolate

• 1 Tbsp sugar (optional)

• 125g milk or cream

• 2 Egg yolks

• 40g sugar

• 1 cup/250ml Milk

• 1 Vanilla Pod

• 4 pears

• 6 cups water

• 1/2lb/225g sugar

• one or two tea bags

• Almonds shavings, about 50g.

Steps

1. Ice Cream: Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until pale yellow and thick.

2. Split vanilla pod in half and scrape out the grains using the back of your knife. Put both grains and pod into the milk. Bring the milk to a boil, then a switch off the heat and remove the vanilla stick.

3. Slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture, stirring vigorously off the heat. Return to a clean pan on medium heat, continuously whisking until the mixture thickens and take off the heat.

4. Put in the ice cream maker and let mix until done (about 40 minutes); once ready scoop out and put into Freezer until serving. Take out of the Freezer about 5 minutes before serving so it melts a little.

5. Pears: Peel and poach in a syrup with teabag for about 10 to 15 minutes at medium boil (until cooked on outside but not fully inside) and then remove from the heat to let the pears cook while the syrup cools down. You can infuse the syrup with earl grey tea, or cinnamon and star anise, or even vanilla.

6. Chocolate Sauce: put the milk/cream and chocolate in a pan over double boiler and mix together when ready to serve.

7. Plating the Dish: Slice the bottom of the pear so they can stand up-right. Put them in the middle of the plate. Scoop a quenelle of ice cream on the side. Pour the chocolate sauce over the pear and sprinkle the almond shavings over the sauce, pear and ice cream.

From Le Foodist, in Paris, France