INGREDIENTS
• 825g can pear halves in syrup, drained
• 90g butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup golden syrup
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped honey cashews
• Vanilla ice-cream, to serve
CARAMEL SAUCE
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 50g butter, chopped
• 300ml thickened cream
METHOD
- Step 1 – Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan-forced. Grease a 4cm-deep, 18cm round (base) metal pie dish. Drain pears on paper towel to remove excess moisture. Set aside 6 pear halves. Roughly chop remaining pear halves.
- Step 2 – Place butter, sugar, golden syrup and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
- Step 3 – Whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon and egg into cooled mixture. Stir in chopped pear. Pour into prepared dish. Arrange pear halves, cut-side up, on top of mixture (don’t push into the mixture). Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cashews. Bake for a further 30 to
35 minutes or until top is just firm to the touch (cover top loosely with foil if overbrowning during cooking). Stand for 10 minutes. - Step 4 – Meanwhile, make Caramel Sauce: Place sugar, butter and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Serve pudding with Caramel Sauce and ice-cream.