PEAR MALVA TEA LOAF

PEAR MALVA TEA LOAF

(Makes 1 loaf)

PEARS

3          pears, peeled and halved

200 g   NATURA GOLDEN LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

MALVA BATTER

280 g   cake flour

1 ml     salt

5 ml     baking powder

5 ml     bicarbonate of soda

100 g   butter at room temperature

130 g   NATURA GOLDEN LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

2          eggs

60 g     apricot jam

15 ml   white vinegar OR lemon juice

250 ml buttermilk OR amasi

SAUCE

100 g   NATURA GOLDEN LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

5 ml     vanilla extract

200 ml cream

100 ml water

60 g     butter

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a tea loaf pan with baking paper.
• TO POACH THE PEARS: put the sugar and 500 ml water in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve on medium heat. Add the pears and simmer for about 10 minutes or until starting to soften. Test with a skewer
• TO MAKE THE MALVA BATTER: Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the salt.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add the eggs one at a time while beating. Lastly add the apricot jam
• Mix together the vinegar OR lemon juice and buttermilk.
• Add the buttermilk mixture and the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until combined. Do not over mix the batter.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and push the pears into the batter – standing upright.
• Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Allow to simmer for ±3 minutes.
• Pour most of the warm sauce on the Malva loaf as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• Cool completely and place in the fridge for a few hours before removing it from the loaf pan
• Sprinkle with some NATURA GOLDEN LIGHT BROWN SUGAR and serve with whipped cream