|
|
Gingerbread Puddings with Butterscotch Pears
10 minute prep. 
1 hour cooking
Serves 6 |
Ingredients
- 220 gm softened butter
- 200 gm brown sugar
- 100 gm golden syrup
- 2 eggs
- 225 gm plain flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 80 ml buttermilk, mixed with 80ml hot water
- 40 gm crystallised ginger, diced (optional)
- Thickened cream or vanilla ice-cream, to serve
- 300 ml thickened cream
- 110 gm brown sugar
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 20 gm butter, diced
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 6 small beurre bosc pears, peeled and halved, cores scooped out with a melon-baller
- Juice of ½ lemon
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C and lightly butter six 300ml-capacity ovenproof bowls. To make the butterscotch pears bring the cream, sugar, golden syrup, butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt to the boil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Toss the pears in the lemon juice and spread in a single layer in a roasting pan, pour over the butterscotch sauce and begin to roast, basting and turning pears occasionally for 30-35 minutes, until the pears are tender and the butterscotch sauce thickens and caramelizes slightly. Set aside to cool slightly.
- While the pears cook, make the butterscotch puddings. Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy, beat in the golden syrup to combine.
- Scrape down the sides of bowl and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Sieve in flour, spices and baking powder, add a pinch of salt and beat to just combine, gradually adding the buttermilk mixture.
- Beat until smooth and combined, stir through diced ginger, then spoon into prepared bowls, smooth top and place on a baking tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and centres spring back when touched with your fingertip.
- Serve hot with butterscotch pears and a drizzle of cream or a scoop of ice-cream, dusted with a little cinnamon.
