Vasse Felix At Home | Pear and Ginger Cake by Head Chef Brendan Pratt

Pears

90 gm honey

30 gm butter, diced

4 pears, peeled, cored and cut into rough 2cm pieces

Cake

150 gm plain flour

1¾ tsp baking powder

150 gm softened unsalted butter

130 gm caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp ground ginger

1 vanilla pod

Preheat oven to 170C. Bring honey and butter to the boil in a saucepan, add pears, stirring occasionally, until pears are just tender and caramelised.

For ginger sponge topping, sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions, then beat in ginger, stir in flour mixture and spoon batter evenly over pear. Bake until top is risen and golden brown (30-35 minutes).

Custard

600ml milk

4 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean

4 tbls caster sugar

30ml brandy or rum

4 tbls cornflour

Bring milk and vanilla to a light simmer and set aside.

Whisk egg yolk, sugar and cornflour together.

Strain the milk and then add 1 cup of the milk into the egg mixture. Adding a little at first will help to temper the egg mix and stop it from cooking the yolks too fast.

Add the rest of the milk and return to the pot.

Place onto a low heat and cook stirring consistently to stop it sticking or scrambling.

When thick, add the brandy, pass through a fine sieve and serve with Cane Cut Semillon.