08/04/2019

Gingerbrownie Cake with Pedro Poached Pears

This stunning dessert cake has a gingerbread cake base, rich mascarpone and luscious pears in a dreamy Pedro Ximénez sherry syrup.

Serves:

6 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Download Recipe PDF

Ingredients

CAKE
125g butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup golden syrup
2/3 cup boiling water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
200g mascarpone or whipped cream, for serving
PEARS
6 brown Beurre Bosc pears
1 cup Pedro Ximénez sherry
1 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 star anise or 4 cloves

Method

CAKE Butter and line a 25cm round cake tin. Heat butter in a large glass bowl in the microwave on Medium for 1-2 minutes until melted. Whisk in sugar, golden syrup and boiling water. Mix in egg, then flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Pour mixture into tin and bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, before removing onto a wire rack to cool. Spread with mascarpone and top with poached pears and syrup, just prior to serving.
PEARS Use a melon baller to core the pears from underneath and peel them just prior to cooking. Combine sherry, water, sugar, peppercorns and star anise in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until dissolved. Add pears, laying them on their sides, and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until tender, carefully turning them by the stalks occasionally. Allow to cool and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight). Serve with cream or ice cream, drizzled with syrup.

Tips

The cake is cooked when it is golden brown, is springy to the touch and when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Pedro Ximénez sherry is a rich ebony coloured Spanish fortified wine with concentrated dark chocolate/raisin flavours and a syrupy texture. Marsala or port may be substituted in this recipe.

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