For a twist on a classic try swapping out dates for pears – they work wonderfully with the spices in the pudding. Try this recipe with Packham or William pears – they are great all-rounder pears that can be eaten fresh or used in cooking.
Serves 8
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes for individual puddings
Ingredients
Pear and Ginger Cake
- 3 pears, grated with a box grater or mandolin
- 165g caster sugar
- 125g unsalted butter, cubed, softened
- 2eggs
- 60g golden syrup
- 150g plain flour
- 1 tbsp. ground ginger
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. bicarb soda
- Pinch of salt
Caramel Sauce
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 300g dark muscovado sugar
- 1 tbsp. golden syrup
- 200ml double cream
Method
- For the Pear and Ginger Cake, lightly spray an 8-cup mini loaf cake tin with canola spray and setaside.
- Place the sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment andbeat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the golden syrup and mix tocombine. Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift in the flour, spices and bicarb soda. Foldthrough gently.
- Add the pear, a pinch of salt and 160ml hot water and fold through until just combined. Pour intoprepared tins and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt the butter, muscovado sugar and golden syrup over a verylow heat in a heavy-based saucepan. Once the butter’s melted, stir gently until everything else is melted too. Now stir in the cream, then turn up the heat and when it’s bubbling and hot, take it off the heat.
- Remove from the oven and place the tins on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack.
Note: You can serve hot or leave to cool! If you do not have a mini loaf tin, you can also use a muffin tin.
Larissa Takchi is 2019’s MasterChef winner who is known for her stunning and delicious desserts.
For more ins-pear-ation visit AustralianPears.com.au
