Poached pears with caramel sauce

Poached pears with caramel sauce. Photo / Greg Bowker

Serves 4

1 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbs honey
2 cups white wine
Zest of one lemon
4 firm pears

Sauce
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup white sugar
2 cups cream

Biscuits
1 tsp ground ginger
3 Tbs golden syrup
2 tsp brandy
1/2 cup caster sugar
50g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
Softly whipped cream, to serve

1 To poach the pears, put water, sugar, honey, wine and lemon in a deep saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 min. Peel pears, cut a slice from base of each so they sit flat, keep stalks intact. Lower into poaching liquid and gently simmer for 1 hour, turning occasionally to ensure even colour. Let cool in the liquid which can be refrigerated and reused.

2 To make the sauce, boil water and sugar together until a deep golden colour. Remove from heat and pour in cream. Return to simmer for 1 min, stirring to ensure sauce is mixed well.

3 To make the biscuits; preheat oven to 150C. In a saucepan, heat ginger, syrup, brandy, sugar and butter until butter has melted. Allow to cool. Sift flour into saucepan and stir to mix. Drop tablespoons of mixture on to greased oven trays, allowing room for spreading. Bake for 10 min or until golden. Cool slightly before shaping around a wooden spoon handle if desired.

4 Serve the pears with a little of the poaching liquid, a spoonful of sauce, a biscuit and cream.