Chocolate and Pear Pudding

This was one of the daily recipes I get emailed from Mindfood magazine. I have not made any yet but since this was a Maggie Beer recipe I thought I'd give it a try.

The example in the recipe was in a deep round
dish. I made it in a rectangular dish that was more shallow.

It cooked for just over an hour and was well cooked - possibly a bit too much around the edge.

The result was a very rich and very nice dessert. The contrast of the pear was nice with the richness of the chocolate.

Chocolate and Pear Pudding

Serves 8

5 small pears (total weight 440 g)

375ml verjuice 1⁄4 cup

55g castor sugar

300g dark chocolate 70% cocoa

250g unsalted butter

4 free range eggs

2 free range egg yolks

200g brown sugar

60g plain flour, sifted

40g dutch cocoa sifted (unsweetened)

Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 160˚C.

Cut peeled pears into wedges (sixths). Cut out the core.

Over medium heat place the pear into a medium size pot. Add Verjuice and sugar and simmer 10 minutes, or until the pears are cooked.

Remove from heat and remove the pears from the syrup. Cool, then cut each piece in half.

Melt chocolate and butter over a low heat in a bowl on top of a small pot (the chocolate mustn’t come into contact with steam). Blend the chocolate and butter and cool.

Beat eggs, egg yolks and sugar in an electric mixer until thick and pale.

Stir in the chocolate mixture, then fold in flour and cocoa.

Place the pears in a large greased baking dish (20 cm x 9.5 cm). Pour in the chocolate mixture and place on a baking tray. Bake for approx. 1 hour to 1½ hours until pudding comes away from the sides and the centre should be a little gooey.

Serve warm dusted with cocoa and crème fraiche.