Using a pan large enough to hold the pears snugly, half fill it with water and add a stick of cinnamon, 2-3 strips of lemon peel
(removed using a potato peeler), a star anise, a tsp vanilla essence, 4-5 cloves and a small piece of peeled fresh ginger, sliced.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, then add 4 peeled ripe pears. Cover and poach gently for about 30 minutes, until soft.
Remove from the heat and let cool in the syrup, until ready to serve. To make the chocolate sauce, break up 200g dark chocolate
into pieces and put into a heatproof bowl. Heat 150 ml double cream and 150 ml whole milk with a pinch of cinnamon until nearly
boiling, then pour this over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the sauce is smooth. Let cool, and serve
with the pears.