La Poire Daphne
(Serves 8)

Pears
8 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons orange peel
8 firm but ripe Bosc pears, peeled
Bavarian Cream
1 cup milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons pear eau-de-vie
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
Chocolate Coating
20 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
Raspberry Sauce
2 1/4 cups fresh raspberries
6 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1 small orange
1 1/2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

For pears: Bring water, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon sticks and orange peel to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Add pears and poach until easily pierced with toothpick, 20 to 35 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead, covered and refrigerated in cooking liquid.) Drain; pat dry. Core pears from bottom, leaving top and stem intact. Cool completely.
For cream: Bring milk and vanilla bean to boil in a heavy small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over eau-de-vie in small heatproof bowl set over simmering water and stir until dissolved. Blend sugar and yolks in large bowl. Mix in hot milk. Return to saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until thickened enough for path to remain when finger is drawn across spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Cool, then chill at least 2 hours.
Whip cream to soft peaks. Fold into chilled gelatin mixture. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with small plain tip. Pipe into cored pears. Reserve remainder. Cover pears and remaining Bavarian cream and refrigerate.
For coating: Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt chocolate with cream over simmering water, stirring constantly. Dip pears in chocolate to cover completely, allowing excess to drip back into pan. Stand pears on prepared sheet. Chill well.
For sauce: Puree raspberries, sugar, orange juice and Grand Marnier in processor until smooth. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.)
To serve, pour some of raspberry sauce onto each of 8 plates. Stand pears in center. Stir remaining Bavarian cream to loosen. Pass separately.