Poires Belle Hélène: An Elegant French Dessert to Steal the Show

Poires Belle Hélène: An Elegant French Dessert to Steal the Show
Sweet poached pears pair beautifully with a bittersweet chocolate sauce. Audrey Le Goff
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A classic of French bistro menus, poires belle Hélène is a dessert of sweet and gently spiced poached pears served with vanilla ice cream and draped under a glossy sheet of warm chocolate sauce. It plays the part of an elegant and indulgent dessert, yet it’s incredibly simple to make.

The invention of the dessert is attributed to the esteemed French chef Auguste Escoffier, who was working at Parisian restaurant Le Petit Moulin Rouge in 1865. In December 1864, Jacques Offenbach’s Opéra bouffe “La Belle Hélène”—a musical parody of Helen’s elopement to Paris, which started the Trojan War—premiered in Paris Montmartre’s Théâtre des Variétés. The show of frenzied songs and flamboyant costumes was very successful and ran in Paris for more than 500 performances until 1866.

Audrey Le Goff
Audrey Le Goff
Author
Audrey Le Goff is a French food writer, photographer, and creator of the food blog PardonYourFrench.com, where she shares recipes and stories from her beloved home country, France. She is the author of the cookbook “Rustic French Cooking Made Easy” (2019). Follow her on Instagram @pardonyourfrench.
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