for the sauce

2/3 cup of powdered cocoa
3 cups sugar
1½ cups of milk
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

While the pears are baking, make the chocolate sauce by combining the cocoa, sugar, and salt in your heavy saucepan. Stir in the milk, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Boil just a few minutes, stir in the vanilla, and set to the side to cool. When the foam on the top has cooled to a chewy and sticky tar, remove the foam with a fork: a job you should assign the family chocoholic. This will make far more sauce than you need for the pears alone, which again will win you the eternal gratitude of your neighborhood chocolate fiends.

When the pears are done, remove from the oven and cool slightly. Place each pear in an individual serving cup, surround with at least two scoops of ice cream and drizzle liberally with the chocolate sauce. Serve at once!