sticky coffee and pear
pudding
30ml/2tbsp ground coffee
15ml/1 tbsp near boiling water
4 small ripe pears
juice
1
⁄2 orange
100g/4 oz softened butter
100g/4oz golden caster sugar plus
15ml/1 tbsp for baking
2 eggs beaten
50g/2oz self raising flour
50g/2oz toasted skinned hazelnuts,
finely ground
45ml/3 tbsp maple syrup
fine strips of orange rind to
decorate.
Pour about 2
1
⁄2 cm /1 inch hot water
into the cooking pot. Place an
upturned saucer or metal pastry ring in
the base, then fit the lid and switch the
slow cooker to High. Grease and base
line a deep 18cm/7in fixed base cake
tin or souffle dish.
Put the ground coffee in a small bowl
and pour the water over. Leave to
infuse for 4 minutes, then strain
through a fine sieve. Peel, halve and
core the pears. Thinly slice across the
pear halves part of the way through,
then brush them all over with the
orange juice.
Beat the butter and the larger quantity
of caster sugar together in a bowl until
light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the
eggs. Sieve the flour, then fold into the
mixture in the bowl. Add the hazelnuts
and liquid coffee. Spoon the mixture
into the tin or souffle dish and level the
surface.
Pat the pears dry on kitchen paper and
arrange in a circle in the sponge
mixture, flat side down. Brush them
with some of the maple syrup, then
sprinkle with 15ml/1tbsp caster sugar.
Cover the top of the tin or souffle dish
with kitchen foil and place in the
cooking pot. Pour enough boiling
water around the tin or dish to come
slightly more than halfway up the sides.
Cover with a lid and cook for
3 – 3
1
⁄2
hours until firm and well risen.
Leave the sponge to cool in the tin for
about 10 minutes, then turn over onto
a serving plate. Lightly brush with the
remaining maple syrup, then decorate
with orange rind and serve with cream.
apple chutney
Piece of root ginger about
2.5cm/1inch square
15ml/1 tbsp pickling spice
1.36Kg/3lb prepared sliced cooking
apples eg Bramleys
150g/5oz sultanas
150g/5 oz finely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, peeled and
crushed
250g/9oz dark brown sugar
250m/9 fl oz malt vinegar
Tie the root ginger and pickling spice
into a small piece of muslin.
Place all the ingredients into the
cooking pot and stir well.
Place the lid in position and cook on
Low for approximately 8 hours. At the
end of this time, remove the lid, stir the
ingredients then turn to High and allow
the mixture to boil for a further 30 –60
minutes or until the required
consistency has been achieved. Cool
slightly and place in clean jars and
cover immediately.
Makes about 4lb
7
