STICKY PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE DOWN DESSERT CAKE

STICKY PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE DOWN DESSERT CAKE – WITH BUTTERSCHOTCH DRIZZLE

80 g     castor sugar

170 g   brown sugar

3          eggs

160 ml olive oil

75 ml   buttermilk

60 ml ginger syrup

80 g     ground almonds

160 g   cake flour

10 ml   baking powder

2,5 ml  salt

80 ml   finely chopped preserved ginger

5          large, firm pears

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 170 C and grease and line a 20 cm cake tin with baking paper
• Melt the castor sugar in a saucepan on very low heat – do not stir. Allow to heat until it turns into a light caramel colour.  Pour the caramel carefully into the prepared tin, spread thinly over the surface
• Beat together the brown sugar and the eggs until light and fluffy, slowly add the olive oil whist still beating, then add the buttermilk and ginger syrup
• Sieve together the dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture, beat on a low speed until just combined
• Peel two of the pears and grate them, mix it into the batter as well as the chopped preserved ginger.
• Cut the other 3 pears into 5mm thick slices and arrange on top of the caramel. Spoon over the batter and tap the tin lightly.  Bake for ±45 minutes and allow to cool in the cake tin

Serve with whipped cream, crème fraiche or ice cream and a caramel sauce

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

100 g   butter

200 g   brown sugar

150 ml cream

5 ml     vanilla

• Mix together the ingredients for the butterscotch sauce in a small saucepan on medium heat, stir to melt the sugar and cook until it is thick and a syrup (110°C) Optional to stir in 5 ml Maldon salt