DOUBLE CHOCOLATE & PEAR PUDDING
Recipe
Warm chocolate self-saucing pudding baked over caramelised pears is comfort food for a chilly winter’s eve. What’s not to love? For a double chocolate fix, there are added chunks of dark chocolate too.
Serves 6
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish and place on a baking tray.
To caramelise the pears, sprinkle the brown sugar over the base of a medium sized heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pears and cook for 5 minutes turning the pears after 2 ½ minutes, then add the masala and continue cooking for a further 4-5 minutes, turning the pears every minute, until just tender and the liquid and sugar formed a glossy caramel coating. (watch carefully and reduce the heat if starting to burn). Transfer the pears to the base of greased dish. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa and sugar into a medium bowl. Lightly whisk together the melted butter, milk and egg and stir into dry ingredients to mix well. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Spoon mixture over the pears to cover evenly.
For the sauce, combine the brown sugar and cocoa then sprinkle over the top of the batter mixture. Gently pour over the boiling water. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until puffed in the centre and just firm to touch with a finger tip.
Serve hot with vanilla ice-cream or thick cream.
Ingredients
150g (1 cup) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoon Dutch cocoa powder
75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
125ml (1/2cup) milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
50g dark chocolate, chopped (optional)
Sauce:
75g (1/3 cup) brown sugar
2 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
Pear base:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 Buerre Bosc pears, peeled, quartered lengthways and core removed
2 tablespoons masala coffee liqueur (or orange juice)
