Peel the pears and rub them with lemon juice.

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, saffron and vanilla pod, and bring to the boil.

Add the pears and poach gently over low heat for 20–25 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the fruit.

For the sauce: melt the chocolate in a bain-marie, stirring gently with a spatula.

Add the milk and butter (cut into pieces), then the sugar and crème fraîche. Mix until smooth and glossy.

To serve, cut the pears in half and hollow them out slightly.

Place one pear half on each plate, add a scoop of ice cream or sorbet in the centre, and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.