Deliciously Indulgent Chocolate Risotto with Pears Recipe

A delicious and indulgently rich sweet risotto, made with dark chocolate and cocoa with a hint of orange. Serve with caramelized pears for a luxurious alternative to savoury risotto. 

Italian risotto rice – be it Carnaroli, Arborio or Vialone Nano – is delicious in a traditional savoury risotto. Stirring the rich broth into the rice gives it that perfect, creamy just right consistency – not too liquid, not too stiff.

Happily for risotto fans like me, I can also enjoy a variation on one of my favourite rices dishes as a dessert. Enjoy this chocolate risotto served with caramelized pears.

How do I make chocolate risotto?

This recipe does take a little time, but for most of that time the pan can be largely left to its own devices.

Step 1: Fry the rice in butter.

Step 2: Add the chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar, and stir together for a minute.

Step 3: Start adding the milk. You don’t have to be quite so particular about the speed at which you add the liquid as with a standard risotto; you can add it all in the space of a few minutes.

Step 4: Leave the risotto to simmer, stirring from time to time until it has reached that perfect consistency.

Finally Add the orange zest and brandy, flavours that will offset the richness of the rest of the dish.

Can I make chocolate risotto in advance?

Absolutely – but you will need more milk.  Cook the risotto following the recipe but remove from the heat while it is still al dente, with a slight chalkiness to the centre of the grains.  To finish the dish, simply add some more milk and reheat, stirring all the time.

Caramelized pears are perfect to serve with this dish, and are equally simple to make.

• Peel and quarter the pear, and cut out the core.
• Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, and fry the pears, turning regularly.
• After a couple of minutes, sprinkle over the sugar. Give the pears another turn to make sure they’re covered on all sides. Leave for a further few minutes.
• The sugar should caramelize and darken. Sweet and fruity, and a perfect addition to the chocolate risotto.

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5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Risotto with Caramelized Pears

Deliciously rich and indulgent chocolate risotto. Adding the brandy at the end cuts through the richness. Serve with the caramelized pears for added luxury. 

Servings: 4 people

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr

Ingredients

Chocolate Risotto

• 25 g butter
• 100 g risotto rice
• 35 g cocoa powder
• 50 g plain chocolate
• 50 g sugar
• 425 ml milk
• zest of half an orange - finely grated
• 35 ml brandy

Caramelized Pears

• 1 pear (peeled, cored and sliced into 4)
• 1 knob unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Chocolate Risotto

• Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the rice until it is translucent. 
• Add the cocoa, chocolate and sugar and cook for a minute. 
• Slowly add in the milk stirring. Leave to cook over a low heat, stirring every few minutes, adding more milk when needed until the rice is plump and cooked through.
• Add the orange zest and brandy, and the risotto is ready to serve. 

Caramelized pears

• Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the pears. Fry them gently for a couple of minutes, turning regularly. 
• Sprinkle over the sugar. Keep turning the pears. Cook until soft and coloured. 

Notes

You can substitute orange liqueur, rum or another favourite spirit for brandy. 

This makes 4 very generous portions, though it would easily serve 6 if with some extra pears.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Risotto with Caramelized Pears

Amount Per Serving

Calories 389 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 26mg9%

Sodium 101mg4%

Potassium 344mg10%

Carbohydrates 60g20%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 33g37%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 355IU7%

Vitamin C 1.9mg2%

Calcium 150mg15%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

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