4 pears  (or as many as you can fit in the pan and want to eat)
100g sugar
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/2 tsp cinnamon or a cinnamon stick (or a vanilla pod for the classic version)
100ml single cream 
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
100g dark chocolate
vanilla ice cream

Heat enough water to cover the pears standing up and add the sugar and lemon juice and cinnamon.  Peel your pears, keeping them whole including the stalk and core.  Stand them up in the pan and bring the syrup to boil and simmer for around half an hour, depending on the size of your pears.  They are ready when the pears are tender.

Meanwhile, put the sauce ingredients in a pan (apart from the chocolate) and bring gently to the boil.  Turn off the heat and after a minute add the chocolate (broken into chunks).  Take your vanilla ice cream out of the freezer to soften slightly.  Stir the chocolate sauce well, making sure all the chocolate has melted.  You can add a little of the pear syrup to the sauce too, if you like.

When the pears are ready, drain them and serve immediately with the ice cream, and a jug of the hot chocolate sauce.  Bon Appetit.