Pear & Almond SpongeA home made dessert is a real treat- my mother used to make this simple fruit sponge using bottles of preserved pears through out the winter.
Ingredients6 large pears, peeled
2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup water Sponge ½ cup golden syrup 1 egg ½ cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup ground almonds 2 tablespoons butter/macadamia oil oil spray, to grease ¼ cup sliced almonds MethodStep 1
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Cut pears in quarters and remove pips. Place fruit in a saucepan, sprinkle over sugar and add water. Cover, bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Keep covered and hot. Step 2 To make sponge, in a mixing bowl place golden syrup and egg. Beat or whisk until fluffy. Step 3 In a separate bowl sift together flour and baking powder. Stir in almonds then fold dry ingredients into egg mixture. Gently stir in butter or oil. Step 4 Pour hot fruit (and only half the cooking liquid) into a greased 6-cup-capacity baking dish. Pour sponge over the top and scatter over almonds. Bake for 20 minutes. Serving suggestion; Serve with a little custard sauce. |
Hands-on time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8 Credit: Healthy Food Guide Magazine Photography: Carolyn Robertson Tip: Any fruit can be substituted for pear. Add ½ teaspoon of ginger or spice to the dry ingredients if you prefer. |