Recipe by Mickael Trehard, Junior Sous Chef, The Acorn Inn, Evershot, Dorset
For the roasted pears:
- 4 pears
- 20ml lemon juice
- 30g butter
- 30g sugar
For the chocolate sauce:
- 50g sugar
- 75ml water
- 125g dark chocolate
- 50g butter
To serve:
- 20g honey
- 80g ricotta
- Taste of Sidmouth’s Pear & Ricotta Gelato
To cook the pears:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and line a tray with baking paper.
- Peel the pears and place them on the tray.
- Pour the lemon juice over the fruit, then spread the butter and sprinkle the sugar on top.
- Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
To make the chocolate sauce:
- Boil the sugar and water in a pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes to create a syrup.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and the butter in a bain-marie.
- Combine the syrup with the melted chocolate.
- Serve straight away, or if preparing in advance, warm it up again when ready to serve.
To serve:
- Mix the honey with the ricotta, then place a pear in the centre of a plate (cut a little off the bottom so it stays upright).
- Add 3 tablespoons of chocolate sauce on one side and a scoop of gelato on the other, then dot around the honey ricotta.
Chef’s tip: Gently warming the pears will release their full aromatic potential, resulting in a more intense flavour.
Photos: © Guy Harrop | guyharrop.com from: A Taste of the West Country (2025) – A collection of original recipes created by Taste of the West award-winning chefs and producers, which is published by We Make Media, and available to buy at wemakemedia.co.uk/shop.
