Pear and Almond Pudding

The idea is borrowed from a clafoutis - a sweet batter poured over fresh fruit (cherries!) then baked. However, pears need to be pre-cooked first. Simmering them quietly in a heavy sugar syrup works wonders on hard fleshed cooking pears such as Packham.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 pears

Batter:

• 250ml milk (not Trim milk)
• 4 eggs
• 2 Tbsp caster sugar
• 60 g ground almonds
• 2 Tbsp self-raising flour
• 1-2 Tbsp flaked blanched almonds

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Put over medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar, boil for two minutes. Put aside to cool.

Peel halve and core the pears, then cut into quarters and drop into the (probably) still warm syrup, return to the heat and simmer gently until pears are just tender. Lift out, drain and arrange spoke like in a flan dish.

Whisk milk, eggs and sugar until well combined, then add ground almonds and flour and beat until the batter is smooth. Pour over the pears, scatter flaked almonds over the top and bake for half an hour. The pudding should be golden brown and puffy.

Best served warm rather than from-the-oven-hot, and if the colour is uneven, disguise.

Suggested wines to complement this recipe

Dessert Wine
The New Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Rose
Domain Road Pinot Noir 2008