Gingerbread puddings with poached pears and golden syrup

We've found a great way to use juicy winter pears - peel and poach them, then put them centre-stage in this gorgeous dessert.

Australian Good Taste

Australian Good Taste - July 2009 , Page 91 

Recipe by Kathy Knudsen

Photography by Rob Palmer

• 1L (4 cups) water
• 430g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 1 strip lemon rind
• 6 small pears, peeled
• Melted butter, to grease
• 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 80ml (1/3 cup) golden syrup
• 2 tbs caster sugar, extra
• 2 eggs
• 115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
• 40g (1/4 cup) self-raising flour
• 1 tbs ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
• Pure icing sugar, to dust
• Golden syrup, extra, to serve

• Method

1. Step 1
   Place the water, sugar and lemon rind in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Add the pears. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are just tender. Set aside to cool. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pears from the pan. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Step 2
   Preheat oven to 170°C. Brush six 300ml-capacity oven-proof dishes with melted butter to grease. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, golden syrup and extra sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Step 3
   Sift the combined flour, ginger and cloves into a bowl. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the egg mixture, in batches, and stir until combined. Divide among the prepared dishes. Smooth the surfaces. Press a pear into the centre of each dish.
4. Step 4
   Place the dishes on a large baking tray. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into puddings comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
5. Step 5
   Dust with icing sugar and drizzle over extra golden syrup to serve.