Dame Rosalind Rathouse
INGREDIENTS
For the pears
4 dessert pears, cored and quartered
4 ozs butter
4 ozs sugar
4 ozs caster sugar
2 ozs butter
2 eggs
1 cup port
8 ozs flour
For the cake
4 tsps baking powder
5 fl ozs milk
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated nutmeg
METHOD
Butter an 8″ square tin and turn the oven to 180EC.
In a large pan, melt the butter for the pears, sprinkle with sugar and allow to caramelise.
Add the port and reduce the liquid until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
Add the pears to the mixture and allow to soften and absorb the port until they have a rich red colour. This will take an additional 10 – 15 minutes.
Reduce the sauce further if it becomes too liquid by removing the pears with a slotted spoon and boiling the liquid.
Arrange the pears in rows along the bottom of the tin and pour over any remaining port syrup.
Now make the cake. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well. Mix in the milk, then the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and grated nutmeg and beat well again.
Spread the cake mixture over the pears and bake for about 45 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Delicious served with crème anglaise.