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For the Pears: Pour the water, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice into a non-reactive 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
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Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla beans in half lengthwise.
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Separate the seeds from the skins by scraping the blade of the knife along the inside.
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Add the seeds and skins to the mixture and continue heating.
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Peel and core the pears but do not halve them.
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Coring the pears from the bottom will encourage the poaching liquid to seep inside the pear and help it cook evenly inside and out.
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Add the pears to the lemon mixture and bring to a boil.
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When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for about 1 hour.
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Do not overcook the pears; they should be soft enough to pierce easily with a wooden skewer or toothpick.
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In order to keep the pears immersed in the liquid and help them to poach evenly, you must make a parchment paper lid to cover them.
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To make the lid, cut a round disk from a sheet of parchment paper that is slightly smaller than the diameter of your pan.
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Place the paper lid directly on top of the pears and poaching liquid.
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When the pears are fully poached, pour them and the poaching liquid into a clean container.
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The pears can stay in the poaching liquid for up to 3 days, each day they will become more flavorful and colorful.
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A few hours before serving, remove the pears from the liquid and drain them on a wire rack placed over a parchment paper-covered sheet pan.
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You will need 1 whole pear for each serving.
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To assemble the Poire Belle Helene, place a scoop of chocolate ice cream at the bottom use a sundae glass.
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Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the ice cream then place a pear on top.
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Drizzle more chocolate sauce on top of the pear, and top it with whipped cream and another drizzle of sauce.
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For the Chocolate Ice Cream: Heat the milk and chopped chocolate together in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan (this will keep the milk from burning) over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
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While the milk is heating, combine the sugar and egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly incorporated and thick.
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Temper the egg mixture by pouring about half of the hot milk into it and whisk well.
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Now pour the tempered egg mixture into the remaining hot milk and chocolate.
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Cook over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula.
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The mixture has finished cooking when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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Use the following method to tell if it is finished: Quickly dip the spatula into the hot mixture and hold it horizontally in front of you.
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With the tip of your finger, wipe a clean line down the center of the spatula.
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If the mixture holds and does not fill in the line, it is ready to be removed from the heat.
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If the line fills with liquid, the mixture must be cooked a little longer.
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Repeat the test every 30 seconds until ready.
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At no time should the mixture begin to boil.
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If you see bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan, remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture thoroughly to cool it down.
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Once the mixture has finished cooking, pour it into a clean bowl and set aside to cool.
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If you want to reduce the cooling time, you can cool the chocolate ice cream base over an ice bath.
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When the mixture is cool, spin it according to the type of ice cream machine you are using.
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The ice cream is ready when it is creamy and smooth, like the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
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Place the ice cream in an airtight container and store in the freezer until ready to use.
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For the Chocolate Sauce: Pour the milk into a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.
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When it boils, remove the milk from the heat and make a ganache by adding the chopped chocolate.
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Whisk well, stirring into the edge of the saucepan to combine.
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The ganache should be homogenous and smooth.
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Set the ganache aside.
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In a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, butter, and sugar.
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Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
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The butter should be completely melted and the sugar completely dissolved.
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Once the mixture has come to a boil, pour the cream into the warm ganache.
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Place the sauce over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk.
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As the chocolate sauce cooks, it will begin to thicken slightly.
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When it reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and pour it into a clean, dry bowl.
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Cover by placing plastic wrap directly on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.
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Let the chocolate sauce cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator.
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When cold, the chocolate sauce will become thick enough to be scooped with a spoon.
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This sauce can be reheated whenever needed.
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If using a microwave, simply place the chocolate sauce in a microwaveable bowl and heat it at medium-high power in 30-second intervals until it becomes liquid.
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On the stovetop, place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until it becomes liquid.
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If you store it in a squeeze bottle, you can easily drizzle it over a dessert or decorate a plate.
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It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
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It can also be frozen for up to 2 months if stored in an airtight container.
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Thaw in the refrigerator and heat as described above until liquid.
