Sticky Ginger Pear Pudding Food

STICKY GINGER PEAR PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the syrup, sugar and milk into a saucepan, then bring to a simmer to dissolve. Leave to cool almost completely while you get on with everything else. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• Put the butter, flour, bicarb, ground ginger and cinnamon into a food processor, then pulse until it forms fine crumbs. Generously butter a 1.4-litre pudding basin and sprinkle 1 tsp sugar into the bottom. Cut 3 of the ginger balls in half and put 5 halves, rounded-side down, into the bottom, like the points of a star. Cut one cheek from a pear, then slice through about 10 times, without cutting through the stalk end. Put this into the bottom of the bowl amongst the ginger, then press gently so that the pear fans out. Core, then thinly slice the remaining pear. Finely chop the rest of the ginger.
• Tip the cooled syrup mix and egg into a food processor, then quickly whizz with the dry ingredients to a batter. Take out the blade, then stir in the chopped ginger and sliced pear. Scrape the mix into the basin, then bake for 1 hr 20 mins until risen and dark golden, and a skewer comes out clean. Whatever you do, don't open the oven before 45 mins is up.
• To finish, gently melt the syrup ingredients in a pan together until the sugar dissolves, then boil briefly. Turn the pudding out of its basin just before serving, spoon over the syrup and serve with custard.

STICKY PEAR PUDDING

Steps:

• Set oven to 180°C.
• With butter grease a 1.25-1.5 litre ovenproof dish, and arrange the pear halves, cut side up, in the dish.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, stir in the sugar.
• Beat the egg into the milk, then beat egg mixture into the butter.
• Pour batter into the dry ingredients and whisk well with beater until smooth then pour batter over the pears and set aside.
• To make the sticky topping: Put the brown sugar and syrup into a small saucepan with 175ml cold water.
• Warm through over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves then
• increase the heat and bring to the boil without stirring. Take off the heat and immediately pour the sauce over the unbaked pudding.
• Sit buttered ovenproof dish in a baking tray half filled with water and bake for 45 minutes until the sponge is golden and sticky on top.
• Leave for 5 minutes before serving with cream.

TOFFEE-PEAR STICKY PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan combine the water, dates, and pears. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, covered, about 15 minutes or until fruit is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Mash with a potato masher, fork, or immersion blender until as smooth as possible. Stir in baking soda; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside. In a large bowl combine brown sugar and butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in date-pear mixture. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack. Immediately use a long skewer to prick top of cake all over. Spoon the portion of Toffee-Pear Sauce without pears over cake. Bake for 3 minutes more. Cool on the wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm with the portion of Toffee-Pear Sauce with pears.