This is the season of hot puddings. I start simply with a dish of baked fruit, with brown sugar and sweet wine. As the weather gets colder, out come the pastry crusts and sponge toppings, the spices and the sugary doughs. For now, I’ll celebrate with golden fruits and splash of cream.
Serves 2. Ready in 75 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Peel 4 small, plump pears and cut them in half from root to stalk. As you peel each fruit, rub it with the cut side of a lemon to prevent it from browning. If you wish, tease out the cores with a teaspoon.
Put 4 tbsp of sweet or dry marsala in a baking dish with 3 tbsp of caster sugar and 50g of butter. Place the halved pears into the dish, then bake for about 45-60 minutes, depending on the ripeness and variety. Baste regularly with the juices. Test the fruit for doneness. A metal skewer should go through them effortlessly.
Remove the pears from the oven and transfer to a frying pan over a moderate to high heat. Place them cut-side down, together with their juices, and let them cook for a few minutes until they take on a rich caramel glaze. Baste them with the juices as they thicken and scatter with toasted flaked almonds. This goes exceptionally well with vanilla ice-cream, or you can make a spiced cream to serve with it (below).
• To make a spiced cream, crack open 6 green cardamom pods, bash the seeds with a heavy weight, such as a pestle, then put in a small saucepan with a pinch of ground cinnamon, 4 cloves and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour in 250ml of double cream and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover with a plate and leave to infuse. When the pears are ready, strain the cream through a sieve to remove the spices, then serve in a small jug with the pears.