Pear, Chocolate & Ginger Dessert

This inventive dessert uses fine quality chocolate and perfectly poached pears to create an elegant end to a meal

1. For the poached pears, place all the ingredients into a saucepan and warm over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Place the prepared pears into a large vaccum bag and pour in the syrup mixture. Seal the bag in the Miele sous vide vacuum drawer on the medium level on both vaccum and sealing setting. Transfer the pears into the steam oven and cook for 45 minutes on 85°C. Allow to cool sightly and refrigerate until needed.

2. For the chocolate orange ganache, melt the chocolate gently in a saucepan, allow to cool slightly and carefully pour in the rapeseed oil, gently stirring constantly.

3. Place the butter and cream into another saucepan and bring to the boil, add the orange liquer and allow to cool to room temperature. Whisk into the chocolate mixture, pour into silcone moulds and chill for 1-2 hours or until set.

4. For the chocolate soil, preheat the Miele oven to Fan Plus 180°C. Place the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and star anise in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter and gently rub in until it forms a breadcrumb-like texture. Add the vanilla extract and egg yolk and continue to work until the mixture comes together into a dough.

5. Place the chocolate dough onto a baking tray and press to a thickness of 5mm. Prick all over with a fork and bake for 15 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool and keep aside until needed. When required, break into fine crumbs.

6. For the ginger sponge, preheat the Miele steam combination oven to cake plus 170°C. Line a loaf tin with non-stick baking paper. Place the butter, sugar, molasses and both syrups into a saucepan and warm gently until the butter is melted. Whisk together the milk and eggs and add it to the mixture.

7. Sieve all the dry ingredients into a bowl, add the liquid ingredients, stem ginger and orange zest and gently combine. Pour the cake batter into the tin and bake for 35 minutes or until golden and risen.

8. For the crème fraiche sorbet whisk the crème fraiche, sugar and water together until smooth. Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn until frozen. Once set transfer the sorbet to a sealable container and freeze until needed.

9. To serve, crumble the ginger sponge and place four small pieces onto each plate, followed by one poached pear and ganache. Lastly sprinkle a small mound of chooclate soil and sit a quenelle of crème fraiche sorbet on top.

Appliance tip: If you don’t have a vaccum drawer, the pears can be steamed inside a solid steam container with a lid.

Cooking tip: Serve any leftover pears with your breakfast porridge or granola.