Poires Belle Hélène is a classic French dessert of poached pears served with vanilla ice cream and hot dark chocolate sauce, often finished with toasted almonds or a splash of kirsch. The pears are typically poached gently in a sugar scented liquid, usually water with sugar, vanilla, and sometimes a hint of citrus or spice, until tender but still holding their shape. The hot chocolate is poured over the pear and ice cream at the table or drizzled just before serving, creating that irresistible contrast of warm, bitter sweet sauce with cold creamy ice cream and soft, fragrant fruit.

The Poires Belle Hélène was created in Paris in the 19th century by the famed chef Auguste Escoffier. He named it after the popular operetta "La Belle Hélène" by Jacques Offenbach. Escoffier’s version elevated the simple combination of poached pears and chocolate into a refined restaurant dessert that quickly became a staple of French culinary tradition.

It’s a perfect balance of textures and temperatures, warm chocolate sauce, cold ice cream, and tender poached pear create a delightful play of contrasts that keeps every bite interesting. It also highlights peak fruit flavour, when pears are in season they’re juicier, sweeter and more aromatic, so poaching preserves and concentrates those natural flavours rather than masking them. The fruit’s delicate perfume sings against the vanilla and chocolate.

The dish is incredibly flexible and elegant, you can dress it up (toasted nuts, a liqueur drizzle, cinnamon) or keep it simple, either way it looks and tastes sophisticated,perfect for dinner parties or a cosy date night dessert. I opt out of the ice cream for my version as i think the chocolate and pears are perfect and don’t need anything extra. Make sure to save that glorious syrup that get’s reduced for cocktails or using in lieu or cordial in soda water, for a sober friendly mocktail (the alcohol cooks out in the reduction process).