#The sauce is superb with pears and can be prepared ahead. It tastes great over ice cream or puddings as well. Yummy!#
Preheat the broiler on high.
Make the sauce first. Cook sugar and water over low heat in a deep pan until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
Continue boiling until syrup turns golden brown. Remove from heat and add hot water. Be very careful! Mixture will spatter. Add cream and return to heat.
Boil until thickened for about 6-8 minutes. Turn heat off and add vanilla and butter, Pour sauce into a bowl and set aside.
Peel pears, halve lengthwise and remove cores. Rub with lemon to prevent discoloration. Score rounded sides of pears lengthwise (do not cut through).
Now it is time to broil the pears. Place pear halves in a lightly buttered oven proof dish and fan each one out. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Broil until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
When you are ready to serve spoon enough sauce onto individual dessert dishes. Spread sauce with the backside of a spoon to cover entire bottom of plate.
Place fanned out pear half over the sauce and decorate with fresh mint leaves. Pass more sauce separately. Absolutely delicious.