Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  4                     ripe medium pears
  3               cups  water
  1 1/4           cups  sugar
  2                     beaten eggs yolks
  2        tablespoons  water
  2        tablespoons  Grand Marnier
     1/2           cup  whipping cream
                        Fresh mint
                        raspberries (optional)
                        Melted chocolate (optional)

Preparation:

Peel pears, leaving stems on. Then core pears from blossom ends. To poach pears, in a medium saucepan bring the 3 cups water and 1 cup of the sugar to boiling. Carefully add pears, stem ends up. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or till pears are tender. Remove saucepan from heat and let pears cool in liquid. Meanwhile, for sauce, in the top of double boiler thoroughly combine egg yolks, 2 tablespoons water, and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place the top of the double boiler over, but not touching, gently boiling water. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for about 10 minutes or til mixture is very thick, fluffy, and pale yellow. Remove from heat; transfer to small bowl. Immediately stir in Grand Marnier. Let cool about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, wash beaters. In another small mixing bowl beat whipping cream till stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into egg yolk mixture. To serve, remove pears from liquid and drain well. Spoon some of the sauce onto dessert plat! es. Place pears on top of the sauce, then spoon remaining sauce over pears. Garnish with mint and if desired, raspberries and melted chocolate. Serves: 4

Nutritional Information:

372 Calories (kcal); 11g Total Fat; (27% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 66g Carbohydrate; 41mg Cholesterol; 17mg Sodium