UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR AND CARDAMOM DESSERT

by Gourmet Guide Jenny Handley

INGREDIENTS

Stewed pears

4 pears, chopped

6 sprigs thyme

3 star anise

1 stick cinnamon

5 g cardamom pods

50 ml water

70 g crystalised ginger, finely chopped

Cake

2 pears

100 g butter

350 ml sugar

3 eggs

2 C flour

2 t baking powder

1 t ground cardamom

½ C red wine

salt to taste

Glaze

1 C cream

75 ml castor sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Combine all ingredients except for ginger for stewed pears in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove aromatics, but don’t throw away.
3. Thinly slice pears on a mandolin. Place slices on the bottom of a 24cm cake tin.
4. Add butter and sugar to a mixer and cream for 10 minutes.
5. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, cardamom, red wine and salt, and mix slowly until combined.
6. Pour batter over the thinly layered pears and bake for 35 – 40 minutes.
7. While the cake bakes, in a pot, on a low heat, combine cream, castor sugar and herbs from the stewed pears. Allow to simmer but do not boil. Strain but keep herbs for decoration.
8. Remove cake from oven and pour glaze over while hot.
9. Leave to cool. Flip over to serving plate and decorate with sliced pears and herbs.