What are you having for dessert after your September Sunday roast? This perfect pear pudding, of course!
Ingredients (serves 6)
5 ripe pears, cored and quartered
3 tbsp orange juice
50g demerara sugar
2 eggs
220g caster sugar
150g plain flour
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp soured cream
125g unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
To serve: a dusting of icing sugar; a jug of thick cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4 and lightly grease a deep-sided 18cm ovenproof dish. Tumble the pears, orange juice and demerara sugar into the dish and gently toss together.
Beat the eggs and caster sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy (an electric hand whisk is your best friend here). Sift the flour, ginger and baking powder over the mixture and gently whisk again until smooth. Use a large metal spoon to fold the soured cream, melted butter and vanilla into the mixture, then spoon over the pears in the baking dish, smoothing the surface as you go.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the pudding to cool for 5 minutes before serving warm, dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by a jug of thick cream.
