For those who prefer to skip the traditional dried fruit desserts during the holiday season, this rich and comforting pudding offers a perfect alternative. Combining the warmth of ginger, the sweetness of pear, and the crunch of pecans, it delivers festive indulgence without the usual suspects.
The cake itself is wonderfully moist, thanks to ground almonds and chopped pears folded into the batter. A generous topping of pecans bakes into a golden crust. The true crowning glory, however, is a luxurious salted caramel sauce made with double cream and vanilla, poured generously over each serving.
Best of all, this dessert can be prepared a day in advance and reheated, making it a stress-free finale to any celebratory meal. Serve it warm with a dollop of cold crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful contrast.
Ingredients:
For the Pudding:
– 2 ripe pears (approx. 275g), peeled, cored, and finely chopped
– 185g unsalted butter, softened
– 375g light muscovado sugar
– 3 large eggs
– 2 tablespoons honey
– 225g self-raising flour
– 75g ground almonds
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1 teaspoon mixed spice
– ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
– 150ml whole milk
– 4 balls stem ginger, finely chopped
– 50g pecans, roughly chopped
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
– 300ml double cream
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– Flaky sea salt (optional)
To Serve:
– Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 30cm x 20cm roasting tin or similar baking dish.
2. Prepare the pears as directed and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat 110g of the butter with 200g of the sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the honey.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, mixed spice, and fine sea salt.
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Fold in the chopped pears and stem ginger until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and scatter the chopped pecans evenly over the top.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the tin.
8. While the pudding bakes, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 75g of butter, 175g of sugar, the double cream, and vanilla. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.
9. Cut the warm pudding into squares. Serve drenched with the hot caramel sauce and a spoonful of cold crème fraîche or ice cream.
