Core blimey: Poached pears with blackberry drizzle and hazelnut shortbread
Apples and pears as you’ve never eaten them before, in a savoury tray bake, a stunning squash soup and in a spectacular, yet simple tart
This impressive poached pear recipe is a sweet treat that can be enjoyed with shortbread
Serves 6
- 6 firm conference or perry pears
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 200g (7oz) caster sugar
- 500ml (18fl oz) water
For the blackberry drizzle
- 250g (9oz) blackberries
- 50g (1¾oz) sugar
- Crème de cassis (optional)
Peel the pears and leave whole but scoop out the core from the bottom, and keep the stems on if you like.
Place them in a wide pan (or use 2 if needed) with the lemon juice, vanilla, sugar and enough water to cover.
Bring to the boil then simmer for 20-30 minutes, until just tender when pierced with a knife. Meanwhile, place 200g of the blackberries with the sugar in a small pan and cook for 5 minutes, then press through a sieve over a bowl.
Discard the seeds and return the juice to the pan, then add the crème de cassis (if using).
Bring to the boil then simmer for 2-3 minutes, until reduced to a thick, jammy consistency.
Serve the warm pears drizzled with the blackberry sauce. Garnish with a few of the remaining blackberries and serve with hazelnut shortbread (see recipe below).
HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD
Makes about 20 biscuits
- 125g (4½oz) salted butter
- 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 125g (4½oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50g (1¾oz) cornflour
- 25g (1oz) roasted chopped hazelnuts
Slightly soften the butter and place in a food processor with the sugar and the flours. Whizz until it binds to a stiff dough.
Add the hazelnuts and blend for 2-3 seconds then gather into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Dust a surface with flour and roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin.
Cut into biscuits with a round or flower cutter. Bake for 12-14 minutes, then dust with caster sugar and cool on a rack.
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