Chocolate Pear Skillet Fondant
Ripe pear slices soften in a buttery skillet while a quick dark chocolate and cream sauce turns glossy and spoonable. A dense, fondant dessert for one, made entirely on the stovetop.
- Total
- 15 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Caramelizing · Emulsifying
- Sweet
- Stovetop
Instructions
-
Peel the pear, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the core with a spoon. Slice each half into 1 cm wedges.
~4 min
-
Set a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lay the pear wedges in a single layer and cook until the cut sides are golden and the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife, about 5 minutes. Turn once halfway.
~5 min
Cooking the pear in a single layer lets the cut sides brown through caramelization while the flesh softens evenly.
A slightly underripe pear holds its shape better here; a very soft one will collapse into the sauce, which is still good but gives a looser texture.
Caramelizing Cook the pear cut-side down without moving it until deeply golden; a non-stick pan and medium heat prevent sticking and burning.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the pear cooks, break 40 g chocolat into a small saucepan. Add 60 ml crème, 1 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt. Warm over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the chocolate melts into a smooth, glossy sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let it boil.
~4 min
Low heat melts chocolate gently; boiling can cause it to seize or scorch, turning the sauce grainy.
Emulsifying Stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate and cream form a glossy, uniform sauce; if it looks oily or grainy, it has overheated.
-
Slide the skillet off the heat. Pour the warm chocolate sauce over the pears and shake the pan gently so the sauce settles around them.
~1 min
Off-heat pouring prevents the sauce from overcooking and lets it coat the pears without splitting.
-
Serve straight from the skillet while the sauce is still warm and pourable, spooning the pears and sauce together.
~1 min