Ingredients
- 4 medium (720g) William pears, peeled, quartered and cored
- 2 cups (500ml) verjus
- 2 cups (500ml) water
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 2 tsp mixed spices
- 1 star anise
- 4 sprigs lemon thyme
- 200g butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (300g) self raising flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp mixed spice
- ⅔ cup (165ml) buttermilk
Poached Pears
Cake
Serves: 8
Preparation Time: 30 Mins
Cooking Time: 1 hours + 35 Mins Cooling
Method
1. In a medium saucepan, combine all poached pear ingredients. Stir well and place over high heat. As soon as the liquid boils, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Carefully transfer pears onto a plate. Pass liquid through a sieve into a jug, then pour back into pan. Simmer poaching liquid over medium heat for 1 hour or until it has reduced to ¼ of its original volume and has a syrupy consistency.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C on moist fan function. Line the bottom and sides of a round 22cm springform cake tin with baking paper. Arrange pears in a decorative pattern on the base of the tin and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla essence for 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, mixed spice, and buttermilk in two batches, alternating liquid and dry ingredients.
5. Spoon cake mixture over pears, ensuring to fill any gaps. Gently tap the cake tin on the bench surface to minimise air bubbles and use spatula to smooth the top.
6. Bake cake for 75 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan for 3 hours before removing the outer ring of the tin.
7. Turn cake upside down onto a serving plate and pour over warm syrup.
Recipe Notes
For best results, bake on “Moist Fan” mode.
Recipe presented by Danielle Brito using AEG Induction Cooktop &
AEG Combi-Steam Oven
